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Adventures  of  a  Naval  Officer. 

Brave    Old.    Salt,  or  Life  on 

the  Quarter  Ueck. 

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The  Young  Lieutenant, 

Or  The  Adventures  of  an  Army  Officer. 

Fighting?    .Joe,  or  the  Fortunes 
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e.-s.  beneiit  widen  a  young  mind  will  ob- 

tain f       i  reading  the  healthy  descriptions,  full  of 
zti  lite,  and,  withal,  containing  a  great  deal 

o*  ireful  infoimation,  is  almost  incalcula- 

ble        iViedo  Blade. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


• tnQjCfP 

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out  of  mischief,  will  do  well  to  kitp  their  hands 
filled  with  one  of  the  numerous  voi  .rnes  of  Oliver 
Optic.  They  all  have  a  good  moral,  are  full  of 
fascinating  Incidents  mingled  with  instruction, 
and  teach  that  straight-forwardness  is  best."  — 
News. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


OLIVER  OPTIC'S 

MAGAZINE. 

OLIVER  OPTIC,  Editor. 

Published  Monthly. 
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zine published. 

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cation. 

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OLIVER  OPTIC'S 

YOUNG  AMERICA  ABROAD. 

A  Library  of  Travel  and  Adventure  in  Foreign 

Lands.     18mo.     Illustrated  >>y  Nast, 

Stevens,  Perkins,  and  others. 

Per  volume,  $1.50. 

Outward.    T5ou.n<i,  or   Young 

America  Afloat 

Shamrock   «fc  Tills  tie,  or 

Young  America  in  Ireland  and  Scotland. 

Red    Cross,   or  Young  America  in 
England  and  Wales. 

Dll«es    &    IMtolies,  or  Young 
America  in  Holland  and  Belgium. 

Palace  &,  Cottage,  or  Young 
America  in  France  and  Switzerland. 

Down  tlie  Rhine,  or  Young 
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"  These  are  by  far  the  most  instructive  books 
written  by  this  popular  author,  and  while  main- 
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reader,  there  is  still  a  great  amount  of  informa- 
tion conveyed  respecting  the  history,  natural  fea- 
tures, and  geography  of  this  far-off  land,  and  the 
peculiarities  of  the  places  and  people  which  they 


Ocuette. 


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■         <*J 


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Through  by  Daylight ; 

Or,  The  Young  Engineer  of  the  Lake 
Shore  Railroad- 
Lightning  Express; 

Or,  The  Rival  Academies. 

On  Time; 

Or,  The?  Young  Captain  of  the  Ucayga 

Steamer. 

Switch  Off; 

Or,  The  War  of  the  Student*. 

Brake  Up ; 

Or,  The  Young  Peacemakers. 

Bear  and  Forbear; 

Or,  The  Young  Skipper  of  Lake  Ucayga. 

Oliver  Optic  owes  his  popularity  to  a  pleasant 
style,  and  to  a  ready  sympathy  with  the  dreams, 
hopes,  aspirations,  and  fancies  of  the  young  people 
for  whom  he  writes.  He  writes  like  a  wise,  over- 
grown boy,  and  his  books  have  therefore  a  fresh- 
ness and  raciness  rarely  attained  by  his  fellow 
scribes.  —  Christian  Advocate. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


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STARRY  FLAG  SERIES. 

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The  Starry  Flag; 

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Breaking  Away; 

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Seek  and  Find; 

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Freaks  of  Fortune ; 

Or,  Half  Round  the  World. 

Make  or  Break; 

Or,  The  Rich  Man's  Daughter. 

Down  the  River; 

Or,  Buck  Biadiord  and  his  Tyrants. 

These  books  are  exciting  narratives,  and  full  of 
stirring  adventures,  but  the  youthful  heroes  of  the 
stories  are  noble,  self-sacrificing,  and  courageous, 
and  the  stories  contain  nothing  which  will  do 
injury  to  the  mind  or  heart  of  the  youthful  reader. 
—  Webster  Times. 

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BOAT  CLUB    SERIES 

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The  Boat  Club ; 

Or,  The  Bunkers  of  Rippleton. 

All  Aboard; 

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Now  or  Never ; 

Or,  tiie  Adventures  of  Bobby  Bright. 

Try  A^ain; 

Or,  Tne  Trials  and  Triumphs  of  Harry 
West. 

Poor  and  Proud; 

Or,  The  Fortunes  of  Katy  Redburn. 

Little  by  Little ; 

Or  The  Cruise  of  the  Flyaway. 

Boys  and  girls  have  no  taste  for  dry  and  tame 
things;  they  want  something  that  will  stir  the 
blood  and  warm  the  heart.  Optic  always  does 
this,  while  at  the  same  time  he  improves  the  taste 
and  elevates  the  moral  nature.  The  coming  gen- 
eration of  men  will  never  know  how  much  they 
are  indebted  for  what  is  pure  and  enabling  to  his 

writings.  —  B.  1.  Schoolmate, 

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OLIVER   OPTIC'S 

WOODVILLE  STORIES. 

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Rich  and  Humble; 

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In  School  and  Out; 

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Watch  and  Wait ; 

Or,  The  Young  Fugitives. 

Work  and  Win; 

Or,  Noddy  Newman  on  a  Cruise. 

Hope  and  Have; 

Or,  Fanny  Grant  among  the  Indians. 

Haste  and  Waste; 

Or,  The  Young  Pilot  of  Lake  Cham- 
plain, 

Sliver  Optic  is  the  apostolic  successor,  at  the 
ub,"  of  Peter  Parley.  He  has  just  completed 
the  "Woodviile  Stories,"  by  the  publication  of 
"Haste  and  Waste."  The  best  notice  to  give  of 
them  is  to  mention  that  a  couple  of  youngsters 
pulled  them  out  of  the  pile  two  hours  since,  and 
are  yet  devouring  them  out  in  the  summer-house 
(albeit  autumn  leaves  cover  it)  oblivious  to  muffin 
time.  — iV.  Y.  Leader. 

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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

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http://archive.org/details/brakeuporyoungpeOOopti 


THE    LAKE    SHORE    SERIES. 


BRAKE  UP 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKEBS 


BY 

OLIVER    OPTIC, 

AUTHOR  OF   "YOUNG  AMERICA  ABROAD,"   "THE   ARMY  AND  NAVY   STORIES, 

"THE  WOODVILLE   STORIES,"   "THE   BOAT-CLUB  STORIES," 

"  THE   STARRY  FLAG   STORIES,"  ETC. 


BOSTON: 

LEE    AND    SHEPARD,    PUBLISHERS. 

NEW  YORK: 

LEE,   SHEPARD   AND  DILLINGHAM. 

1873. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1870,  by 

WILLIAM  T.  ADAMS, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


ELECTROTYPE!)  AT  THE 

BOSTON  STEREOTYPE   FOUNDRY, 

NO.   19   SPRINO  LANE. 


MY  YOUNG    FRIEND 

ELLIOT   WILLIAM  SAYWARD 

IS  AFFECTIONATELY  DEDICATED. 


s 


THE  LAKE   SHOME  SERIES. 


1.  THROUGH  BY  DAYLIGHT;   or,  The  Young  Engineer 

of  the  Lake  Shore  Railroad. 

2.  LIGHTNING   EXPRESS;    or,  The  Rival  Academies. 


3.  ON    TIME;'   or,     The    Young    Captain    of    the    Ucayga 

Steamer. 

4.  SWITCH   OFF;   or,  The  War  of  the  Students. 

5.  BRAKE   UP;   or,  The  Young  Peacemakers. 

6.  BEAR  AND  FORBEAR  ;  or,  The  Young  Skipper  of  Lake 

Ucayga. 


PREFACE 


% 


"  Brake  Up  "  is  the  fifth  of  The  Lake  Shore  Series, 
and  was  one  of  the  serials  which  appeared  in  Oliver  Optic's 
Magazine.  Although  the  volume  contains  an  independent 
story,  the  same  characters  that  appeared  in  preceding  issues 
of  the  series^  are  introduced.  "While  Captain  Wolf  Penni- 
man  still  remains  true  to  his  high  standard  of  duty,  Nick 
Von  Wolter  is  presented  to  the  reader  in  strong  contrast 
with  the  hero.  The  latter,  ambitious  to  put  himself  for- 
ward in  the  world,  makes  the  oft-repeated  mistake  of  those 
who  follow  any  other  guide  than  that  of  religious  principle. 
The  result  to  the  evil-doer  is  but  the  reflection  of  the 
world's  experience ;  and  though  all  who  seek  and  follow  the 
True  Light  may  not  realize  the  same  worldly  success  that 
crowned  the  life  of  Wolf,  they  are  absolutely  sure  to  attain 
that  peace  of  mind  which  alone  is  happiness  here  and 
hereafter. 


6  PEEFACE. 

The  railroad  phrase  "Brake  Up"  is  not  used  in  its 
technical  sense,  but  figuratively  indicates  how  the  wrong- 
doer should  proceed  when  he  becomes  conscious  of  his  er- 
ror; and  the  author  hopes  his  young  friends,  as  well  as 
those  of  mature  years,  will  follow  the  example  of  the  mag- 
nate of  Centreport  when  they  find  themselves  on  the  "wrong 
track." 

Harrison  Square,  Boston, 

January  26,  1870. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTEB    I. 
Colonel  Wimpleton  won't  have  it 11 


CHAPTER    II. 
Brake  Up! 20 

CHAPTER    III. 
Mr.  Nicholas  Van  Wolter ,31 

CHAPTER    IV. 
A  Glorious  Opportunity 41 

CHAPTER    V. 
Romance  and  Reality 52 

CHAPTER    VI. 
A  Discomfited  Aspirant 63 

CHAPTER    VII. 
Colonel  "Wimpleton  drops  the  Reins 74 

CHAPTER     VIII. 
Secrets  for  Two 84 

(?) 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    IX. 
The  Tipsy  Magnate 96 

CHAPTER    X. 
Tom  Walton  expresses  his  Opinion .  106 

CHAPTER    XI. 
A  Generous  Tippler 117 

CHAPTER    XII. 
Another  Calamity 128 

CHAPTER    XIII. 
After  the  Accident 139 

CHAPTER    XIV. 
"  The  Occurrences  of  Yesterday."   .......     150 

CHAPTER    XV. 
A  Tempting  Offer 162 

CHAPTER    XVI. 
The  Ucayga  in  Trouble 173 

CHAPTER    XVII. 
An  Act  of  Courtesy 185 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 
The  Mystery  of  the  Check 196 


CONTENTS.  9 

CHAPTER    XIX. 
Colonel  Wimpleton  humiliated 208 

CHAPTER    XX. 
A  Night  Trip  to  Hitaca 220 

CHAPTER    XXI. 
What  happened  in  the  Road 232 

CHAPTER    XXII. 
Seven  per  cent.  Bonds 211 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 
The  Committee  of  Conference 25G 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 
The  Magnates  join  Hands 268 

CHAPTER    XXV. 
More  seven  per  cent.  Bonds 280 

CHAPTER    XXVI. 
In  Honor  of  the  Reconciliation 292 


BRAKE    UP; 

OR, 

THE  YOUNG  PEACEMAKEES 


CHAPTER  I. 


COLONEL  WIMPLE  TON  WON  T  HAVE  IT. 

"  T"  WON'T  have  it,  Wolf  Penniman  !     No,  I  won't 
JL  have  it ! "  said  and  repeated  Colonel  Wiropleton, 
as,  with  an  uncertain  step,  he  shuffled  up  to  the  door 
of  my  state-room,  on  board  of  the  TTcayga. 

The  magnate  of  Centreport  was  more  than  usually 
intoxicated.  For  two  or  three  years  he  had  kept  him- 
self well  filled  with  rum.  His  face  had  grown  red,  and 
toddy-blossoms  had  gathered  upon  his  aquiline  nose, 
but  he  seldom  manifested  any  of  the  ordinary  symp- 
toms of  drunkenness.  It  was  not  often  that  he  reeled, 
or  became  incoherent  in  his  speech,  as  on  the  present 

(11) 


12  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

occasion.  If  he  was  ever  overcome  by  his  besetting 
vice,  it  was  not  in  public.  I  had  certainly  never 
before  seen  him  in  the  condition  in  which  he  pre- 
sented himself  at  the  door  of  my  state-room. 

I  was  aware  that  the  habit  of  drinking  was  gaining 
upon  him.  I  had  frequently  seen  him  when  he  was 
affected  by  the  liquor  he  had  taken.  I  had  known 
him  to  fall  asleep  in  company  when  the  conversation 
flagged,  and  I  had  often  noticed  the  stupor  of  inebria- 
tion. He  took  less  interest  in  the  steamer,  and  in 
other  business  enterprises  in  which  he  was  engaged, 
than  formerly.  Under  the  influence  of  his  drams,  when 
excited,  he  was  even  more  violent  than  when  he  was 
sober.  For  years  he  had  been  the  deadly  enemy  of 
Major  Toppleton,  the  rich  man  of  Middleport,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  lake.  His  intemperance  did  not 
moderate  his  hatred,  though  it  deprived  him  of  the 
energy  to  prosecute  malicious  schemes  against  his 
rival. 

Three  years  before,  Major  Toppleton  had  completed 
the  Lake  Shore  Railroad,  intended  in  the  beginning 
rather  as  a  plaything  for  the  students  of  the  Toppleton 
Institute,  and  as  a  means  of  giving  the  young  men  a 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKEKS.  13 

knowledge  of  railroad  business,  though  the  idea  had 
enlarged  on  his  hands,  and  the  line  had  become  a 
regular  thoroughfare  of  travel.  A  violent  competition 
had  sprung  up  between  the  two  sides  of  the  lake. 
The  projector  of  the  railroad  had  purchased  the  old 
line  of  steamers,  and  ran  them  only  to  Middleport, 
thus  compelling  the  people  of  the  large  and  thriving 
town  of  Centreport  to  do  all  their  business  through 
the  rival  place  on  the  other  side  of  the  lake.  This 
was  more  than  the  choleric  temper  of  Colonel  Wim- 
pleton  could  endure,  and  he  immediately  built  the 
large,  swift,  and  beautiful  steamer  Ucayga,  to  run 
between  Centreport  and  the  lower  end  of  the  lake, 
thus  giving  the  town  direct  communication  with  the 
great  business  centres  of  the  nation. 

For  a  time  the  Lake  Shore  line  had  the  advantage, 
and  obtained  nearly  all  the  through  business ;  but  the 
new  steamer,  of  which  I  had  the  honor  to  be  captain, 
by  making  one  through  trip  a  day  to  Hitaca,  at  the 
upper  extremity  of  the  lake,  beating  the  railroad  line 
by  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  and  affording  better  ac- 
commodation, without  change  from  boat  to  cars  and 
from  cars  to  boat,  turned  the   current  of  travel,  and 


14  BRAKE    UP,    OK 

Centreport  obtained  a  complete  and  decided  victory- 
over  Middleport.  Of  course  Major  Tojopleton  was 
sorely  vexed  at  the  triumph  of  his  great  rival.  He 
had  vainly  sought  the  means  of  recovering  his  lost 
prestige.  The  best  time  he  could  make  was  four 
hours  and  a  quarter,  while  the  steamer  line  accom- 
plished the  distance  in  three  and  a  half.  He  could 
regain  the  ground  he  had  lost  only  by  building  a 
steamer  like  the  Ucayga,  or  extending  his  railroad 
through  a  wild  region  for  twenty-five  miles,  to  the 
head  of  the  lake.  Either  of  these  expedients  involved 
a  very  large  outlay  of  money,  which  he  was  not  will- 
ing to  make.  But  he  continued  to  talk  of  doing 
something,  and  there  was  no  end  to  the  agitation  of 
the  subject. 

I  had  certain  very  decided  views  of  my  own,  and 
earnestly  hoped  that  the  major  would  adopt  neither 
of  his  expensive  expedients.  All  Middleport  and  all 
Centreport  had  been  at  war  with  each  other  for  years. 
ISTot  only  the  major  and  the  colonel,  but  their  two  sons, 
and  the  two  academies  under  their  patronage,  had 
hated  and  fought  each  other;  but  now  all  had  been 
reconciled  except  the  two  magnates,  though  the  busi- 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  15 

ness  rivalry  between  the  two  places  was  not  abated. 
But  it  seemed  to  me  that,  after  the  two  sons  had  be- 
come good  friends  and  the  two  Institutes  had  frater- 
nized, the  two  magnates  hated  each  other  more  bitterly 
than  ever.  I  could  not  help  fearing  that  a  new  steamer, 
or  an  extension  of  the  railroad,  would  increase  the 
malignant  rivalry;  and,  acting  through  Tommy  Top- 
pleton,  the  major's  son,  and  Waddie  Wimpleton,  the 
colonel's  son,  I  had  done  what  I  could  to  keep  the 
two  lines  as  they  were  at  the  opening  of  my  present 
story. 

Major  Toppleton  had  proposed  to  me,  and  I  had 
suggested  to  Colonel  Wimpleton,  the  plan  of  uniting 
the  two  lines;  but  the  magnate  of  Centreport  had 
indignantly  and  scornfully  repudiated  the  proposition. 
He  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  Toppletons. 
Such  a  union  would  be  a  benefit  to  the  travelling 
public,  while  it  would  afford  a  remunerative  business 
to  each  line.  It  would  reduce  the  time  from  Hitaca 
to  Ucayga  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  and  make  an 
end  of  all  the  ill  feeling  engendered  by  the  compe- 
tition. The  one  purpose  of  my  existence,  at  this  time, 
was  to  accomplish  this  union.     I  hoped  and  prayed 


16  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

for  some  happy  circumstance  that  would  reconcile  the 
great  men.  I  was  even  daring  enough  to  attempt  to 
contrive  a  plan  by  which  this  blessed  result  might  be 
attained;  but  I  had  not  been  able  to  devise  any 
expedient  which  appeared  hopeful  enough  to  be  at- 
tempted. 

Colonel  Wimpleton  was  more  than  usually  intox- 
icated when  he  presented  himself  at  the  door  of  my 
state-room.  As  he  spoke  he  staggered  into  the  apart- 
ment, and  dropped  heavily  into  a  chair.  It  was  mor- 
tifying and  disgusting  even  to  me  to  see  him  in  this 
condition ;  but  how  much  more  so  to  his  family !  I 
pitied  his  wife,  I  pitied  Waddie,  and  I  pitied  Minnie 
"Wimpleton,  the  oldest  daughter  of  the  magnate ;  in- 
deed, I  pitied  all  who  were  connected  with  him ;  for 
if  he  was  a  terrible  man  when  sober,  he  was  vastly 
more  terrible  when  intoxicated.  Though  he  had  oc- 
casionally found  fault  with  me  since  I  had  been  in 
charge  of  the  steamer,  he  never  indulged  in  anything 
which  could  be  called  abuse.  On  the  other  hand,  if 
anybody  could  be  said  to  have  any  influence  over 
him,  I  had  a  very  little.  It  was  by  my  plans,  and 
through  my  direct  agency,  that  the  steamer  had  won 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  17 

the  victory  over  the  rival  line.  I  had  always  treated 
him  with  respect,  and  even  with  "  distinguished  con- 
sideration," but  at  the  same  time  I  maintained  my 
independence.  The  colonel  knew  that  the  moment 
he  cast  me  off,  the  major  was  ready  to  take  me  up, 
and  restore  me  to  my  old  position  on  the  railroad. 
Perhaps  it  is  not  exactly  modest  for  me  to  state  these 
things,  but  it  would  be  mere  affectation  for  me  to 
ignore  them. 

"I  won't  have  it!"  repeated  Colonel  Wimpleton, 
with  greater  emphasis,  as  he  dropped  into  the  chair  in 
my  state-room. 

"What,  sir?"    I  inquired. 

"I  say  I  won't  have  it,"  he  replied,  fixing  a  kind  of 
vacant  stare  upon  the  floor. 

I  concluded  that  what  he  would  not  have  related 
to  the  steamer,  and  I  was  prepared  to  receive  the 
rebuke  he  had  apparently  come  to  administer.  I 
could  think  of  nothing  I  had  done  to  deserve  censure. 
The  Ucayga  had  made  all  her  trips  with  clock-work 
regularity.  We  had  been  "on  time;"  and  except 
when  the  days  were  too  short,  we  had  put  ner 
"through  by  daylight."  The  pleasure  season  was 
2 


18  BEAKE    UP,    OE 

just  opening,  and  we  were  carrying  crowds  of  pas- 
sengers. Certainly  everything  seemed  to  be  lovely, 
and  I  was  not  conscious  of  deserving  a  rebuke.  But 
in  my  relations  with  the  colonel  I  often  received 
what  I  did  not  deserve.  I  was  tolerably  intimate  in 
the  family  of  Major  Toppleton.  Tommy,  now  thor- 
oughly reformed,  was  one  of  my  best  friends.  He 
was  grateful  to  me  because  I  had  assisted  in  saving 
him  from  the  wrath  of  Jed  Trotwood,  and  as  he  still 
had  a  great  influence  over  his  father,  he  always  insured 
me  a  welcome  at  the  Toppleton  mansion. 

Grace  Toppleton  was  very  kindly  disposed  towards 
me ;  and  being  eighteen  now,  I  am  willing  to  confess 
that  I  believed  her  to  be  the  prettiest  and  the  dearest 
girl  in  the  whole  world.  I  had  become  very  partic- 
ular in  regard  to  my  dress,  and  my  mother  often 
declared  that  she  was  afraid  I  should  yet  be  a  dandy, 
I  was  so  particular  to  wear  good  clothes,  and  to  have 
my  neck-tie  nicely  adjusted.  But,  then,  I  was  the 
commander  of  the  TJcayga,  and  it  was  a  part  of  my 
duty  to  make  myself  agreeable  to  the  passengers, 
including  many  elegant  and  accomplished  ladies.  Yet 
I  could  not  conceal  from  myself  the  truth  that  I  cared 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  19 

more  for  the  opinion  of  Grace  than  of  all  others.  For 
her  I  wore  the  good  clothes ;  for  her  I  was  particular 
about  my  neck-tie ;  and  for  her  I  brushed  my  hair 
till  every  individual  lock  had  found  its  most  graceful 
position.  By  continued  perseverance  in  shaving  my 
upper  lip,  I  had  coaxed  a  tolerable  mustache  into 
being,  which,  I  fondly  believed,  not  only  overcame 
the  juvenility  of  my  appearance,  but  added  a  manly 
feature  to  my  face. 

I  was  very  much  interested  in  Grace,  as  I  had  been 
from  the  first  moment  I  saw  her.  Indeed,  this  inter- 
est had  grown  upon  me  in  a  manner  which  I  need  not 
stop  to  explain.  I  acknowledged  to  myself  that  I  had 
"  intentions  "  in  regard  to  her,  though  I  could  not  help 
feeling  that  they  were  very  presumptuous  in  me,  who 
had  neither  a  great  name  nor  a  great  family  to  boast 
of.  I  had  never  said  anything  to  Grace  about  these 
intentions,  but  I  flattered  myself  that  she  was  not 
wholly  indifferent  towards  me.  Her  father  did  not 
seem  to  notice  my  attentions,  but  I  was  afraid  he 
would.  As  this  was  the  thought  always  nearest  to 
my  heart,  it  occurred  to  me,  as  the  tipsy  colonel  sat 
looking  at  the  floor  in  my  state-room,  that  my  devo- 
tion to  Grace  was  what  he  would  not  have. 


20  BRAKE    UP,    OK 


CHAPTER  II. 

BRAKE    UP! 

LOOKED  at  Colonel  Wimpleton,  as  he  sat 
gazing,  with  a  stupid  stare,  upon  the  floor  of  the 
state-room.  I  began  to  feel  some  trepidation  lest  my 
relations  with  the  family  of  Major  Toppleton  were  to 
be  criticised  and  censured.  But  true  to  the  instincts 
of  all  young  men  in  my  situation,  I  was  ready  to  die 
rather  than  yield  the  breadth  of  a  hair  in  my  devotion 
to  Grace.  The  magnates  might  quarrel  as  much  as 
suited  their  imperial  pleasure,  but  I  would  neither 
be  coaxed  nor  driven  into  the  feud.  I  was  resolved 
to  be  discharged  from  my  pleasant  and  lucrative 
position  rather  than  have  my  agreeable  relations  with 
the  Toppletons  suspended. 

"  Wolf,  I  won't  have  it ! "  exclaimed  the  colonel, 
suddenly,  as  he  stamped- his  foot  upon  the  floor,  after 
a  silence  which  enabled  me  to  review  my  previous 
conduct  for  months. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  21 

"What,  sir?"  I  inquired  again. 

But  the  tipsy  magnate  did  not  condescend  to  reply 
to  my  question.  He  contracted  the  muscles  of  his 
face  into  a  maudlin  expression  of  indignation,  and 
continued  to  brood  over  the  evil  which  disturbed  him. 

"  You  must  go  with  me,  Wolf,"  said  he,  after  another 
long  pause. 

"Where,  sir?" 

"Over  to  Middleport.  — No,  I  won't  have  it!  I'll 
put  a  stop  to  it ! " 

"I  really  don't  understand  you,  Colonel  Wimple- 
ton,"  I  pleaded. 

"You  don't  understand  it,  Wolf?  Yes,  you  do 
understand  it,  Wolf.     You  know  all  about  it." 

"What,  sir?" 

"What,  sir!"  sneered  the  colonel,  fixing  a  stare  of 
drunken  ire  upon  me.    "  You  must  go  with  me,  Wolf." 

"But  the  boat  must  start  in  less  than  an  hour,"  I 
added,  consulting  my  watch. 

"  I  don't  care  for  the  boat.  This  thing  is  of  more 
consequence  than  the  boat,  Wolf." 

"What  thing,  sir?" 

"Boys  musn't  be  men  till  they  are  old  enough  to 


22  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

be  men,  Wolf,"  protested  the  great  man.  "  Come 
with  me." 

He  rose  with  some  difficulty  from  the  chair,  and 
tottered  towards  the  door. 

"Where  am  I  to  go,  sir?"  I  asked. 

"  Over  to  the   other  side  of  the  lake." 

"But  the  boat  —  " 

"  Don't  say  any  more  to  me  about  the  boat,  Wolf. 
Van  Wolter  can  run  the  boat  as  well  as  you  can. 
Come  along  with  me." 

"  Very  well,  sir ;  I  will  tell  Mr.  Yan  Wolter  that  I 
shall  not  go   down  the  lake   with  him." 

When  I  had  seen  the  mate,  I  returned  to  my  state- 
room, where  the  colonel  had  again  seated  himself.  I 
kept  a  tumbler  and  a  pitcher  of  ice  water  in  the  room, 
and  as  I  went  to  take  a  drink,  I  found  the  glass 
smelled  strongly  of  liquor.  The  magnate  had  a  bottle 
in  his  pocket,  and  had  taken  another  dram.  I  did  not 
like  to  go  with  him  while  he  was  in  his  present  condi- 
tion, and  evidently  growing  wTorse,  but  I  could  not 
refuse  without  creating  a  tempest. 

"  Courting!"  ejaculated  the  colonel,  as  I  put  on  my 
cap.     "I  won't  have  it." 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEHAKEKS.  23 

"  I  don't  understand  you,  sir,"  I  replied,  startled  by 
the  suggestive  word  he  had  used. 

"  You'll  understand  it  very  soon,  Wolf,  for  I  won't 
have  it.     Come  with  me." 

What  could  the  great  man  mean?  Did  he  apply 
that  word  to  my  relations  with  Grace  Toppleton  ?  I 
was  not  willing  to  have  them  called  by  so  vulgar  a 
term.  He  rose  from  the  chair,  and  bolted  out  of  the 
state-room,  for  he  could  not  now  maintain  a  steady 
gait.  I  followed  him  to  the  gangway,  where  the  boat 
I  had  ordered  was  waiting  for  us.  Van  Wolter 
winked  at  me  as  I  passed  him,  and  seemed  to  regard 
the  drunkenness  of  the  magnate  as  a  good  joke,  in- 
stead of  the  most  serious  thing  in  the  world.  With 
the  assistance  of  the  mate  and  myself,  the  colonel 
succeeded  in  depositing  himself  in  the  boat  without 
falling  into  the  lake,  and  the  men  landed  us  at  Mid- 
dleport. 

Bracing  up  his  nerves  to  their  utmost  tension,  the 
great  man  walked  up  the  wharf  to  the  railroad  station, 
whence  he  dropped  into  a  chair,  overcome  by  his  exer- 
tions to  act  like  a  sober  man.  The  last  dram  imbibed 
had  not  yet  produced  its  full  effect,  and  I  hoped,  in 


24  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

the  stupor  of  intoxication,  he  would  forget  his  mission, 
whatever  it  was.  People  looked  at  him,  smiled, 
winked,  and  sneered,  as  he  sat  in  the  waiting-room, 
and  it  was  very  disagreeable  to  me  to  be  obliged  to 
be  his  companion.  There  is  no  knowing  what  a  tipsy 
man  may  do,  and  I  was  fearful  that  he  would  place 
me  in  a  still  more  embarrassing  position.  The  vulgar 
expression  he  had  used  —  "courting"  —  indicated  that 
there  was  a  lady  in  the  affair.  I  suspected  that  he 
meant  to  proceed  to  the  house  of  Major  Toppleton ; 
but  I  was  determined  not  to  go  there  with  him,  for 
such  a  step  would  imply  that  he  intended  to  meddle 
with  my  affair. 

"No,  I  won't  have  it,  Wolf!  Now  go  and  see 
where  they  have  gone,"  said  the  colonel,  after  he  had 
sat  a  few  moments. 

"See  where  who  have  gone,  sir?"  I  inquired. 

"Why,  Tom  Toppleton  and  Waddie." 

"I  know  where  they  have  gone." 

"Where?"  he  demanded,  jerking  up  his  head 
suddenly. 

"Down  to  the  Horse  Shoe,  sir." 

"I  suppose  you  know  all  about  it." 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  25 

"  They  have  gone  to  select  a  camp  for  the  regiment 
—  that's  all." 

"No,  sir!  That's  not  all,  Wolf!  You  know  very 
well  that's  not  all." 

"At  least,  that's  all  I  know  about  it,"  I  pleaded. 

"  Now,  where's  Grace  Toppleton  ?  That's  what  I 
want  to  know,"  said  he,  savagely. 

"  I  don't  know  where  she  is,"  I  replied,  not  pleased 
to  have  her  name  connected  with  the  matter,  what- 
ever it  might  prove  to  be. 

"You  go  and  find  out  where  she  is  —  that's  what 
I  want  you  to  do.  Don't  talk  to  me!  I  tell  you  I 
won't  have  it." 

"  I  will  ascertain  where  she  is,"  I  replied,  not  un- 
willing to  call  at  the  house  of  the  major,  where  I 
might  see  her. 

"  Go,  and  don't  stop  long." 

I  did  go,  and  I  did  not  stop  long.  Grace  was  not  at 
home.  She  had  gone  to  the  Horse  Shoe  in  the  same 
boat  with  Tommy,  where  he  was  to  meet  Wacldie.  I 
reported  this  intelligence  to  the  colonel. 

"That  is  just  what  I  supposed!"  exclaimed  he, 
springing  to  his  feet.  "I  won't  have  it.  Get  two 
tickets,  Wolf,  and  take  me  to  the  Horse  Shoe." 


26  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"I  will,  sir." 

"  Courting ! "  snuffed  the  colonel. 

"Who,  sir?" 

"In  love." 

"Who,  sir?" 

"  I  won't  have  it !     No,  I  won't." 

By  this  time  I  began  to  believe  that  I  was  not  the 
object  of  his  suspicion  ;  but  I  was  very  anxious  to 
know  who  was  implicated  in  this  grave  charge  of 
"  courting,"  or  of  being  in  love.  I  knew  that  Nick 
Van  Wolter,  the  mate's  son,  had  gone  down  to  the 
Horse  Shoe  with  Waddie,  in  the  Raven  ;  and  now  it 
appeared  that  Tommy  and  Grace  had  also  gone.  My 
present  information  assured  me  that  Grace  was  the 
only  young  lady  of  the  party,  and  if  any  "  courting  " 
was  meditated,  it  was  plain  to  me,  from  the  nature  of 
the  circumstances,  that  she  must  be  one  of  the  parties. 

I  confess  that  I  began  to  feel  very  uneasy  when  the 
possibility  of  the  occasion  dawned  upon  me.  Grace, 
so  far  as  I  knew,  was  the  only  lady  in  the  party.  If 
any  one  was  in  love  with  her,  who  could  it  be  ?  Cer- 
tainly it  was  not  Tommy;  and  it  was  almost  as  cer- 
tain that  it  could  not  be  Nick  Van  Wolter,  though  the 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  27 

latter  was  a  very  conceited  young  man,  with  assurance 
enough  to  fall  in  love  with  one  so  much  his  superior 
as  Grace.  But  if  it  was  Nick,  why  should  the  colonel 
trouble  himself  about  the  matter  ?  I  was  satisfied 
that  it  could  not  be  Nick.     Then  it  must  be  Waddie. 

My  blood  seemed  to  grow  cold  in  my  veins  as  the 
only  reasonable  explanation  of  the  problem  was  forced 
upon  my  mind.  Such  an  event  would  inflame  the 
magnate  of  Centreport  to  wrath,  for  he  could  conceive 
of  no  more  terrible  calamity  than  an  alliance  by  mar- 
riage between  the  rival  families.  I  was  shocked  and 
confounded.  Yet  I  was  reasonable  enough  to  believe 
that  it  was  the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world  for 
Waddie  to  fall  in  love  with  Grace.  She  was  beautiful 
and  winning  beyond  any  words  of  mine  to  express. 
He  was  socially  her  equal,  which  I  was  not.  Dis- 
tressed as  I  was,  I  could  offer  no  objection  to  the  idea. 

I  procured  two  tickets  for  Grass  Springs,  and  assist- 
ed the  colonel  into  the  rear1  car.  He  still  persisted 
that  he  would  not  "  have  it,"  talked  wild,  foolish,  and 
angry,  by  turns,  till  the  stupor  of  his  last  dram  over- 
came him,  and  he  dropped  asleep,  much  to  my  satis- 
faction, for  I  was  disgusted  with  his  speech.     Besides, 


28  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

I  did  not  feel  like  talking  with  any  one.  I  had  ex- 
perienced a  terrible  blow.  I  had  lost  Grace  Topple- 
ton.  I  had  mistaken  her  kindness  to  me  for  a  more 
tender  sentiment,  and  I  felt  like  lying  down  on  the 
bottom  of  the  lake  in  deep  water,  or  emigrating  to 
some  distant  and  unknown  region. 

The  cars  stopped  a  moment  at  Spangleport.  Major 
Toppleton  had  built  a  bridge  over  the  outlet  of  the 
lake,  so  that  the  train  ran  into  Ucayga,  thus  gaining 
time  enough  to  allow  the  stops  at  the  two  towns  on 
the  route.  The  dummy  also  made  two  trips  a  day  to 
Grass  Springs,  so  that  the  people  along  the  line  were 
better  accommodated  than  ever  before.  About  half 
way  between  Spangleport  and  the  Springs,  the  engi- 
neer whistled  furiously,  and  the  train  began  to  brake 
up  rather  sharply. 

"  What's  the  matter,  Wolf?"  said  the  colonel, 
awaking  with  a  start. 

"I  don't  know,  sir;  perhaps  a  cow  is  on  the  track." 

"  Go  ahead  and  see,"  said  he,  thrusting  his  hand 
into  his  breast  pocket,  where  he  must  have  kept  his 
bottle. 

I  obeyed  him,  and  as  I  opened  the  forward  door,  I 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKEKS.  29 

saw  him  drinking  from  his  flask.  I  had  walked 
through  three  cars,  when  the  train  stopped.  As  I  had 
supposed,  an  obstinate  cow  had  placed  herself  on  the 
track,  and  not  having  the  fear  of  locomotives  before 
her,  refused  to  budge  till  the  fireman  drove  her  off  by 
pelting  her  with  coal.  The  train  started  again,  and  I 
did  not  hurry  back  to  the  colonel ;  but  when  I  reached 
the  rear  of  the  last  car,  he  was  not  there.  I  was 
alarmed,  and  immediately  looked  through  the  train 
for  him.  I  could  not  find  him.  The  passengers  had 
not  observed  him.  I  was  afraid  he  had  fallen  off,  and 
I  hastened  to  find  the  conductor. 

He  was  in  the  forward  car.  I  stated  the  case  to 
him,  and  begged  him  to  run  back  a  little  way.  After 
many  objections  he  consented,  and  gave  the  order.  A 
brakeman  was  sent  to  the  rear  platform,  but  the  con- 
ductor detained  me  to  tell  me  the  consequences  that 
might  follow  the  delay.  I  promised  to  help  him  out 
on  some  other  occasion  when  he  was  behind  time,  by 
inducing  the  conductors  on  the  great  line  to  wait  for 
him.  I  hastened  back  to  the  rear  platform,  but  before 
I  could  reach  it,  I  heard  the  whistle  to  brake  up.  On 
reaching  the  end  of  the  car,  I  saw  a  sight  which  froze 


30  BRAKE   TIP,   OR 

my  blood.  Colonel  Wimpleton  lay  on  the  track  be^ 
tween  the  rails,  apparently  unable  to  save  himself. 

The  brakeman  had  pulled  the  connecting  line,  and 
was  jamming  down  the  brake  with  all  his  might;  but 
it  was  still  a  problem  whether  the  train  could  be 
stopped  in  season  to  avoid  running  over  him.  I 
rushed  to  the  assistance  of  the  man,  and  the  brake 
creaked  under  our  united  efforts.  Fortunately  the 
signal  from  the  engine  had  been  prompt,  and  the  train 
was  stopped,  but  only  a  few  feet  from  the  tipsy  mag- 
nate, who  shook  his  fist  at  the  car  as  it  came  near. 

"Did  ye  mean  to  run  over  me?"  said  he;  and  it 
was  evident  that  his  last  dram  had  nearly  finished  him. 

[We  intended  to  let  Wolf  tell  his  own  story,  but 
we  are  obliged  to  take  the  pen  out  of  his  hand,  for  a 
time,  to  relate  certain  incidents  of  which  he  was  not 
a  witness.  Nicholas  Van  Wolter  is  no  scholar;  and 
if  he  were,  we  could  not  trust  him  to  narrate  the 
matter  of  the  succeeding  chapters,  for  we  fear  he 
would  suppress  the  truth,  and  introduce  too  much  of 
his  own  personal  vanity.] 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  31 


CHAPTER  III. 

ME.   NICHOLAS    TAN   "WOLTEE. 

R.  NICK  VAN  WOLTER,  a  young  gentleman 
.1_YJL  of  eighteen,  and  the  oldest  son  of  the  mate 
of  the  Ucayga,  was  dressing  himself  with  extraordi- 
nary care  on  the  morning  preceding  the  incidents 
of  the  last  chapter.  He  was  very  little  like  his  father, 
who  was  a  plain,  honest,  straightforward  man,  and 
very  much  like  his  mother,  who  was  a  vain,  aspiring, 
ambitious  woman.  The  mate  was  willing  to  do  his 
duty  faithfully  and  patiently,  and  let  the  future  take 
care  of  itself,  though  he  was  not  without  a  reasonable 
ambition  to  distinguish  himself,  and  make  his  fortune. 
His  wife  thought  the  world,  and  particularly  Colonel 
Wimpleton,  had  wronged  and  defrauded  her  husband 
out  of  money  and  position.  She  had  high  hopes  of 
Nick,  for  he  was  of  an  aspiring  nature,  and  did  not 
believe  that  he  had  yet  found  his  true  sphere. 


32  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

Nick  had  brushed  his  hair  with  remarkable  precis- 
ion ;  he  had  carefully  laid  each  individual  hair  of  his 
downy  mustache ;  and  he  was  now  engaged  in  the 
difficult  and  trying  operation  of  tying  his  cravat.  He 
had  donned  his  Sunday  clothes,  though  it  was  Mon- 
day, and  though  he  was  going  in  the  Raven,  which 
was  the  name  of  "Waddle  Wimpleton's  new  sail-boat. 
The  fact  that  Miss  Minnie  Wimpleton  was  to  be  one 
of  the  party  may  explain  the  reason  of  all  the  extra 
pains  the  young  man  bestowed  upon  himself.  Miss 
Wimpleton  was  certainly  a  very  beautiful  girl,  though 
this  need  not  have  made  any  difference  with  Nick, 
who  had  only  been  invited  to  help  work  the  Raven, 
for  Waddie  had  a  lame  arm,  wrenched  at  the  shoulder 
in  playing  base  ball. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  describe  the  precise  social  or 
business  position  of  Nick  Yan  Wolter.  He  had 
worked  on  the  steamer  as  a  deck  hand,  and  as  a  waiter 
in  the  cabin ;  but  he  had  become  disgusted  with  both 
of  these  places.  They  were  beneath  his  dignity,  and 
below  his  sphere.  He  had  obtained  a  place  in  a  store 
in  Centreport,  where  his  father's  family  resided ;  but 
sweeping  out,  working    in   the    cellars,  and    carrying 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  33 

bundles  were  so  far  beneath  his  aspirations  that  hej 
had  also  abandoned  the  store.  He  now  appeared  to 
be  "  waiting  for  something  to  turn  up."  He  wanted 
to  be  the  clerk  of  the  TTcayga,  as  a  stepping-stone  to 
a  higher  place  ;  but  the  present  incumbent  obstinately 
rjersisted  in  retaining  the  situation.  He  was  devoted, . 
mind,  heart,  and  soul,  to  Waddie  Wimpleton,  through 
whom'  he  exj)ected  finally  to  accomplish  his  purpose.. 
He  was  willing  to  "toady"  to  the  great  man's  son,. to 
bow  down  before  him,  and  cling  to  the  skirts  of  his 
garments.  When  Waddie,  therefore,  in  his  partially 
disabled  condition,  needed  assistance  in  the  boat,  Nick 
was  available  for  the  service,  and  had  gladly  accepted 
the  invitation. 

Nick  labored  heavily  at  the  neck-tie,  and  his  am- 
bitious mother  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  watch- 
ing with  interest  the  effect  produced  by  various 
experiments.  Bow  knots,  square  knots,  and  sailor's 
knots  were  successively  tried  and  successively  dis- 
carded, until  it  was  evident  that  the  cravat  would  be 
worn  out  before  it  could  be  adjusted.  But  at  last 
Mrs.  Van  Wolter  interfered,  and  insisted  that  a  simple 
crossing  of  the  ends  of  the  tie,  fastened  by  a  large 
3 


34  BEAKE   UP,   OB 

breast-pin,  which  was  borrowed  from  the  mate's  ward- 
robe, gave  the  most  stunning  effect.  She  was  satisfied, 
and  Nick  could  devise  nothing  better,  though  he  was 
not  wholly  pleased. 

"Now,  let  me  put  this  moss-rose  on  the  lapel  of 
your  coat,"  said  the  devoted  mother.  "If  Miss  Wim- 
jileton  thinks  it  is  a  pretty  one,  or  makes  any  remark 
about  it,  be  sure  you  make  her  a  present  of  it." 

"  I  don't  think  she  cares  anything  about  me," 
replied  Nick,  as  he  glanced  at  the  looking-glass  to 
observe  the  effect  of  the  rose. 

"Well,  I  don't  suppose  she  does;  but  you  must 
make  her  care  for  you.  If  you  have  any  wit  at  all, 
you  can  make  yourself  useful  and  agreeable.  Why, 
look  at  Wolf  Penniman.  They  do  say  that  he  and 
Grace  Toppleton  are  good  friends,  at  the  very  least. 
Wolf  is  smart;   he  knows  what  he  is  about." 

"  So  do  I  know  what  I  am  about,"  retorted  Nick, 
repelling  what  appeared  to  him  to  be  an  insinuation 
that  he  did  not  know  what  he  was  about.  "  If  there 
is  any  such  thing  as  getting  on  the  right  side  of  Minnie 
Wimpleton,  you  will  find  me  there." 

"I  hope  so.     You  ought  to  be  as  high  up  in  the 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  35 

world  as  Wolf  Penniman.  You  are  a  better  looking 
fellow,"  added  the  fond  mother,  gazing  with  admira- 
tion at  the  form  and  features  of  her  son.  "  If  you  are 
not  as  smart  as  he,  it  is  because  you  have  never  put 
yourself  forward,  and  it  is  high  time  for  you  to  begin. 
There's  Wolf,  captain  of  the  Ucayga,  while  you  can't 
even  be  clerk.  It's  a  shame.  I  know  your  father 
ought  to  be  captain  of  that  steamer,  for  he  has  really 
run  the  boat,  while  Wolf  has  had  all  the  credit  of  it. 
But  I  can't  get  your  father  to  do  anything  about  it." 

"  Father  is  his  own  master,"  said  Nick,  with  some- 
thing like  malice  in  his  tones. 

"I  know  he  is.  If  he  would  hear  to  me,  he  would 
be  captain  of  the  steamer,  and  you  would  be  clerk. 
Only  to  think  of  it !  Your  father,  who  has  been  a 
steamboat  man  all  the  days  of  his  life,  acting  as  mate 
to  a  boy,  a  mere  snipper-snapper,  who  don't  know 
any  more  about  managing  a  steamboat  than  I  do! 
It's  a  shame !     I  can't  bear  to  think  of  it! " 

"Don't,  then." 

"  Well,  if  your  father  won't  do  anything  for  the 
family,  you  must,  Nicholas.  Waddie  is  your  best 
friend ;  and,  if  you  can  only  make  an  impression  upon 


36  BEAKE    UP,    0E 

Miss  Minnie,  your  fortune  will  be  made,  for  I  don't 
believe  the  colonel  will  live  a  great  many  years.  He 
is  soaked  in  rum  all  the  time." 

"  If  I  only  get  the  chance,  mother,  I  shall  show 
Minnie  who  and  what  I  am.  She  is  very  gentle  and 
kind  to  me,  and  all  I  want  is  an  opportunity  to  lay 
myself  out  before  her." 

"If  you  don't  find  the  chance,  make  it,  Nicholas  — 
make  it." 

Nick  was  thoughtful  at  this  suggestion.  It  seemed 
to  be  a  new  idea  to  him.  He  had  devoted  no  incon- 
siderable portion  of  his  valuable  time  to  the  reading 
of  exciting  romances,  and  he  was  confident  that  if  he 
could  obtain  the  opportunity  to  save  Miss  Minnie  from 
a  watery  grave,  rescue  her  from  a  burning  house,  or 
stay  the  mad  flight  of  her  runaway  horse,  just  as  she 
was  about  to  be  dashed  to  pieces  over  a  yawning 
precipice,  doing  the  noble  deed  at  the  imminent  peril 
of  his  own  life,  the  prize  would  be  won.  The  proud 
daughter  of  a  noble  house  would  be  filled  with  admi- 
ration and  gratitude,  and  would,  of  course,  fall  in  love 
with  him,  and  the  third  part  of  Colonel  Wimpleton's 
millions  would  drop  into  his  lap.     The  last  chapter  of 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  37 

the  romance  would  end  in  the  unutterable  bliss  of  the 
noble  hero  and  the  beautiful  heroine.  This  was  about 
the  idea  Nick  had  of  "a  chance  to  lay  himself  out 
before  her."  He  .  wanted  such  a  chance,  and  his 
mother,  doubtless  without  exactly  comprehending  her 
son's  views,  had:  suggested  that  he  should  make  the 
chance.     The  thought  was  worthy  of  consideration. 

"  Your  father  is  too  tame  and  spiritless  to  do  any- 
thing for  the  family.  You  must  do  it  for  him,  Nicho- 
las," added  Mrs.  Van  Wolter. 

"  I'm  willing  to  do  what  I  can,"  meekly  responded 
the  hopeful  son. 

"If  you  do,  your  father  shall  be  captain  of  the 
steamer;  you  shall  be  clerk,  and  in  good  time  the 
husband  of  Miss  Minnie." 

"What  do  you  mean,  mother?  You  don't  expect 
me  to  make  father  captain  —  do  you  ?  " 

"Well,  well;  we  won't  talk  about  that  now,"  an- 
swered the  mother,  evasively.  "  We  must  use  cir- 
cumstances for  our  own  advantage." 

Mrs.  Van  Wolter  appeared  to  be  a  bold  schemer, 
and  even  Nick  was  astonished  at  the  magnitude  of 
her  ideas.     He  was  looking  for  a  brilliant  future,  and 


38  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

to  his  mind  ther®  was  no  reason  why  Wolf  Penniman 
should  monopolize  all  the  honors  and  all  the  emolu- 
ments of  the  high  positions.  He  put  on  his  hat,  and 
left  the  house.  He  was  rather  anxious  to  know  by 
what  means  his  mother  expected  to  promote  the  mate 
to  the  captaincy,  and  to  make  him  the  clerk  of  the 
steamer;  but  his  present  business  was  in  relation  to 
Minnie  Wimpleton,  and  he  hastened  to  the  pier  where 
the  Raven  was  moored. 

Nick  was  only  a  tolerable  boatman  ;  and  he  was 
not  conceited  in  regard  to  his  ability  to  manage  a  sail- 
boat. He  was  willing  to  take  lessons  of  Waddie,  who 
had  no  superior.  Indeed,  he  yielded  the  palm  in 
everything  to  the  young  magnate.  He  hoisted  the 
mainsail,  and  put  everything  in  order  about  the  boat. 
By  the  time  he  had  finished  the  prejDarations  for  the 
trip,  Waddie  and  his  sister  appeared.  The  young 
gentleman  had  his  arm  in  a  sling,  and  the  young  lady, 
in  the  estimation  of  Nick,  was  radiant  with  loveliness. 

"  Good  morning,  Mr.  Yan  Wolter,"  said  Minnie,  as 
she  arrived  at  the  pier. 

There  was  a  twinkle  in  her  eye,  and  one  would  have 
judged  there  was  no  little  mischief  in  her  composition. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  39 

She  glanced  at  the  elaborate  toilet,  and  particularly  at 
the  huge  breast-pin  in  the  cravat  of  the  aspiring  Nick. 
Perhaps  she  was  vain  enough  to  suspect  that  all  this 
extra  preparation  had  been  made  for  her  sake. 

"  Good  morning,  Miss  Wimpleton,"  replied  Nick, 
removing  his  hat  with  an  extensive  flourish,  probably 
to  afford  the  wealthy  little  divinity  an  opportunity  to 
see  how  nicely  his  hair  was  parted,  oiled,  and  brushed. 
"May  I  have  the  pleasure  of  assisting  you  on  board 
the  Raven?" 

"  Will  it  be  a  pleasure,  Mr.  Van  Wolter  ?  "  said  she, 
mischievously,  as  she  extended  her  gloved  hand  to  him. 

"A  very  great  pleasure  indeed,  Miss  Wimpleton," 
he  replied,  as  he  eagerly  took  the  offered  hand,  his 
heart  beating  like  the  throes  of  an  earthquake,  under 
the  delicious  sensations  of  the  moment. 

He  handed  her  to  a  seat  in  the  standing-room, 
touched  his  hat,  and  bowed,  as  if  to  thank  her  for  the 
unexpected  honor  she  had  conferred  upon  him. 

"  Cast  off,  and  run  up  the  jib,  Nick,"  said  Waddie, 
impatiently.  "We  are  going  to  have  a  shower  to- 
day, and  we  must  get  up  to  Grass  Springs  before  it 
comes  on." 


40  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"  A  shower,  Waddie  ?  "  added  Minnie. 

"It  looks  like  one." 

"I  don't  want  to  go  if  it  is  to  be  rainy." 

"  Only  a  shower.  The  cabin  will  keep  you  as  dry 
as  your  own  room,"  answered  Waddie.  "  There  is  a 
good  breeze,  and  we  shall  be  down  there  in  a  couple 
of  hours." 

"It  will  spoil  Nick's  new  clothes,"  laughed  the 
sprightly  miss. 

"Don't  you  tease  the  simpleton,"  whispered 
Waddie. 

"I  can't  help  it.     I  enjoy  it  hugely,"  she  replied. 

"  There  goes  the  Belle,"  added  Waddie,  pointing  to 
Wolf's  boat,  which  Tommy  Toppleton  had  chartered 
for  the  occasion,  as  she  shot  out  from  the  wharf  at 
Middleport.     "Now  for  a  race!" 

Nick  ran  up  the  jib,  and,  as  the  Raven  took  the 
breeze,  he  seated  himself  opposite  Miss  Minnie,  to 
feast  his  eyes  upon  her  "  matchless  loveliness." 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  41 


CHAPTER   IV. 


A   GLORIOUS    OPPORTUNITY. 


THE  boat-builder  at  Hitaca  bad  promised  Waddie 
be  should  have  a  boat  that  would  beat  the  Belle, 
or  any  other  craft  of  her  inches  on  the  lake.  He  had 
evidently  kept  his  word,  though  the  respective  merits 
of  the  two  boats  had  not  yet  been  fairly  tested ;  but, 
in  building  for  speed,  he  had  not  built  for  safety.  The 
Raven  was  too  narrow  for  her  length,  and  it  was  ap- 
parent that  she  was  very  crank.  However,  Waddie 
did  not  care  how  crank  she  was,  if  she  was  only 
fast.  He  was  skilful  enough  himself  to  keep  her 
right  side  up. 

Tom  Walton  was  sailing  the  Belle,  and  Tommy 
Toppleton  and  Grace  were  passengers.  Though  the 
trip  to  the  Horse  Shoe  was  for  another  purpose,  the 
race  between  the  two  boats  could  not  well  be  avoid- 
ed.    Waddie  was  anxious  to  have  the  point  settled, 


42  BRAKE    UP,   OR 

and  as  Tom  Walton,  the  regular  skipper  of  the  Belle, 
was  on  board,  the  race  commenced  without  a  chal- 
lenge, or  any  other  preparations.  The  Belle  waited 
until  the  Raven  came  out  from  the  wharf,  and  they 
met  in  the  middle  of  the  lake,  where  the  two  parties 
exchanged  salutations. 

"  I'm  afraid  we  shall  have  some  bad  weather,"  said 
Tom  Walton,  as  he  glanced  at  the  black  clouds  which 
were  piling  up  in  the  south-west. 

"  We  shall  get  to  the  Horse  Shoe  before  that  shower 
comes  up,"  replied  Waddie,  as  he  put  his  helm  up,  and 
the  Raven  filled  away  on  her  course. 

"Let  her  slide!"  shouted  Tom  Walton,  who  was 
not  yet  quite  ready  to  believe  that  the  new  boat  could 
beat  the  Belle. 

"  So  we  are  to  have  a  race,  Waddie,"  said  his  sister, 
as  the  Belle  shaped  her  course  for  the  Horse  Shoe. 

"Yes;  and  I'm  going  to  beat  the  Belle  all  to 
pieces,"  answered  Waddie,  in  high  excitement,  as  the 
two  boats,  now  side  by  side,  began  to  spin  furiously 
through  the  water,  the  spray  curling  over  their  bows, 
as  they  bent  down  before  the  lively  breeze. 

"But   you  will  drown  us  all,  Waddie !"  exclaimed 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  43 

Minnie,  as  the  Raven  careened  under  a  flaw  till  the 
gunwale  was  nearly  submerged. 

"There  is  not  the  least  danger  while  Mr.  Wim- 
pleton  is  at  the  helm.  He  is  the  most  skilful  boatman 
on  the  lake,"  interposed  Nick. 

"  But  I  don't  like  such  furious  sailing  as  this,"  added 
Minnie,  as  half  a  bucket  of  spray  dashed  upon  the  half 
deck  forward  of  her. 

"Don't  be  alarmed,  Minnie,"  said  Waddie,  gently. 
"  She  is  doing  beautifully,  and  we  are  gaining  on 
the  Belle.  I  wish  my  arm  was  not  so  lame.  It 
bothers  me." 

"I  cannot  steer  as  well  as  you  can,  Waddie;  but 
I  will  do  the  best  I  can,"  added  Nick. 

"  If  we  were  on  the  other  tack  I  could  do  it  very 
well ;  but  I  don't  like  to  sit  on  the  lee  side  to  steer. 
We  are  beating  her,"  continued  Waddie,  when  the 
Raven   was  a  length   ahead  of  her  rival. 

"But  you  will  certainly  drown  us,  Wadclie ! " 
cried  Minnie,  as  the  boat  went  down  on  the  lee 
side  to  her  washboard. 

"If  you  will  permit  me  to  sit  on  the  same  side 
with  you,  Miss  Wimpleton,  I  can  relieve  her  a  lit- 
tle," suggested  Nick,  as  he  rose  from  his  place. 


44  BEAKE    UP,    OR 

"  Certainly,  Mr.  Yan  Wolter.  Don't  be  so  polite 
as  to  drown  me." 

Nick  took  a  seat  on  the  weather  side,  where  he 
should  have  gone  before.  He  again  assured  his 
fair  companion  that  there  was  no  danger,  though 
he  was  really  not  so  confident  on  this  point  as  he 
pretended  to  be.  He  certainly  was  not  afraid  him- 
self; on  the  contrary,  he  rather  wished  the  boat 
would  upset,  and  thus  afford  him  the  coveted  op- 
portunity to  save  Miss  Wimpleton  from  the  "wa- 
tery grave."  He  could  swim  like  a  fish,  and 
Waddie  was  so  disabled  that  he  could  do  no  more 
than  help  himself.  But  the  two  boats  dashed  on, 
and  the  Raven  did  not  go  over.  She  soon  ran 
away  from  the  Belle,  though  it  was  done  at  the 
expense   of  a   severe   trial  to   Miss  Minnie's   nerves. 

"Take  in  the  jib,  Nick,"  said  Waddie.  "The 
point  is  settled.  The  Raven  is  the  fastest  boat  on 
the   lake." 

The  willing  assistant  obeyed  this  order,  and  the 
boat  went  along  a  little  steadier,  much  to  the  sat- 
isfaction   of  the   young  lady   passenger. 

"I  hope  you  have  not  injured  your  coat,  Mr. 
Yan  Wolter,"  said  she,  as  he  resumed  his  seat. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  45 

"Not  at  all,  though  it  would  be  of  no  conse- 
quence if  I  had,"  replied  Nick. 

"  I  think  it  would.  When  a  young  gentleman 
has  a  really  elegant  appearance,  it  breaks  my  heart 
to  see  it  disturbed." 

"Your  heart  is  very  tender,  Miss    Wimpleton." 

"  Like  all  ladies'  hearts." 

Nick   sighed. 

Minnie   laughed. 

"What  a  beautiful  breast-pin  you  wear,  Mr.  Van 
Wolter ! " 

"Do   you  like   it?" 

"I   think   it   is   lovely." 

Nick  put  his  hands  up  to  take  it  out  of  the 
cravat,  in  order  to  make  her  a  present  of  it ;  but 
he  happened  to  remember,  in  season  to  save  it, 
that  it  was  the  rose,  and  not  the  breast-pin,  he 
was  to  give  her,  if  she  admired  it.  She  did  not 
allude  to  the  flower,  and  all  opportunities  seemed 
to  elude  his  grasp.  It  was  provoking  that  the 
Raven  would  not  upset,  and  afford  him  a  chance 
to  do  a  gallant  deed.  He  thought  Miss  Minnie 
was    in    a    very    agreeable    frame    of    mind.      She 


46  BRAKE    TJP,    OK 

spoke  very  kindly  to  him,  and  smiled  with  the  ut- 
most sweetness ;  for  his  vanity  did  not  permit  him 
to  realize  that  she  was  making  fun  of  him.  If  an 
opportunity  could  only  be  presented  for  him  to  do 
a  big  thing,  —  to  tear  her  from  the  jaws  of  death, — 
all  would  be  well  with  him,  and,  he  was  conceited 
enough    to   believe,    with   her   also. 

Waddle  came  about,  and  threw  the  boat  up  into 
the  wind,  to  wait  for  the  Belle.  The  Raven  had 
fully  justified  her  builder's  promise,  and  the  owner 
was  satisfied.  Tom  Walton  was  nettled  at  his  sig- 
nal defeat.  He  could  not  quite  understand  it ;  so 
he  did  just  what  other  smart  boatmen  do  under 
similar  circumstances — he  declared  that  it  was  not 
the  right  breeze  for  the  Belle.  She  was  a  heavy- 
weather  boat,  and  he  should  like  to  catch  the 
Raven  out  when  it  blew  a  fresh  breeze.  He  would 
either   beat   her   or   drown    her. 

Waddie  thought  they  had  a  pretty  stiff  breeze, 
but  he  would  be  happy  to  accommodate  Tom  on 
his  own  terms.  The  two  boats  sailed  along  together 
towards  their  destination.  Waddie's  shoulder  trou- 
bled  him,  after  the   exercise   he  had  taken,  and  he 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  47 

gave  up  the  helm  to  Nick.  The  wind  had  grad- 
ually subsided  until  it  was  a  dead  calm  off  the 
South  Shoe.  The  great  black  clouds  had  been  trav- 
elling steadily  towards  the  zenith,  till  the  sun  was 
obscured,  and  the  aspect  of  the  weather  was  decid- 
edly threatening.  Waddie  looked  at  the  rolling 
black  clouds,  and  declared  there  was  wind  in   them. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that,  Waddie  ? "  asked 
Minnie,    anxiously. 

"  We    may  have   a   squall,"   replied   he,   coolly. 

"A  sqnail!"  exclaimed  she,  terrified  by  the  word. 
"Do   let   us   get   ashore." 

"A  squall  is  nothing,  if  you  only  mind  your  eye," 
added   the  young  boatman,  lightly. 

"  But  I  am  afraid  of  squalls,"  persisted  Minnie. 
"  Can't  we   go   on    shore  ?  " 

"  Not  very  conveniently,  as  the  shore  is  half  a 
mile  distant,  and  there  is  not  a  breath  of  wind. 
Don't  be  alarmed,  Minnie.  I  have  been  out  in 
twenty  squalls,  and  really  there  is  nothing  to  fear, 
if  the  boat  is  well  handled." 

"Look  out  for  a  squall!"  shouted  Tom  Walton 
from  the  Belle,  which  had  fallen  astern  as  the  breeze 
died   out 


48  BRAKE   UP,   OR 

» 

"  Ay,  ay  !  "  replied  Waddie.     "  I  see  it." 

A  squall!  After  all,  there  might  be  a  chance  for 
Nick  to  do  a  great  deed  in  behalf  of  the  fair  pas- 
senger. It  was  evident  enough  that  the  Raven  would 
go  over  with  the  slightest  excuse  for  doing  so.  As 
Waddie  said  nothing  about  it,  he  did  not  deem  it 
incumbent  upon  him  to  suggest  the  propriety  of 
taking  in  sail.  His  mother  told  him  to  "make  a 
chance."  It  was  wicked  to-  do  so,  and  perhaps  it 
was  involuntarily  that  he  put  several  half  hitches 
in  the  mainsheet,  as  he  made  it  fast  to  the  cleat. 

"If  we  can  get  a  puff  or  two  of  wind,  we  can 
run  up  to  the  South  Shoe,  and  anchor,"  said  Waddie. 

"It's  coming!"  shouted  Tom  Walton,  whose  quick 
eye  had  already  discovered  the  approach  of  the 
squall. 

"  Yes,  there  it  comes,"  added  Waddie,  quietly.  "  I'll 
take  the  helm,  Nick;  you  may  go  forward  and 
stand  by  the  halyards." 

"I   will,"  replied   Nick. 

"Don't  let  go  till  I  tell  you,"  continued  Waddie. 
"It  may  not  come  here,  and  a  capful  of  wind  will 
take  us  to  the  shore." 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  49 

"  Say  when  you  are  ready,"  added  Nick,  as  he 
stationed   himself  on  the  half  deck. 

The  tempest  drove  down  the  lake,  piling  up  great 
billows  before  it,  stirring  up  the  sleet  and  spray  in 
its  path,  till  the  shore  was  hid  from  the  gaze  of 
the   voyagers. 

"Look  out  for  it!"  roared  Tom  "Walton,  whose 
voice  could  scarcely  be  heard  above  the  noise  of 
the  wind  and  waters. 

He  had  lowered  the  mainsail  of  the  Belle  half 
way  down,  so  that  the  light  puffs  which  came  before 
the  squall  drove  her  almost  up  to  the  spot  where 
the  Raven  lay  motionless  on  the   still   waters. 

"Let  go  the  halyards!"  shouted  Waddie,  sharply. 
"  Be  lively  about  it !     The  squall  is   upon   us ! " 

"Down  with  your  mainsail!"  cried  Tom,  as  the 
blast  swept  down  upon  the  Raven.  "Let  go  your 
sheet!" 

By  this  time  the  Belle's  mainsail  was  down,  with 
a  couple  of  stops  on  to  secure  it  to  the  boom. 
Waddie  had  already,  with  his  single  serviceable  hand, 
sprung  to  the  quarter  to  let  go  the  sheet.  The 
half  hitches  which  ISTick  had  put  in  the  rope  both- 
4 


50  BEAKE    UP,    OE 

ered  him,  and  his  fingers  seemed  to  be  all  thumbs. 
The  wind  began  to  swell  the  sail,  and  increased 
the  difficulty  of  the  operation,  while  Nick  seemed 
to  be  having  no  little  trouble  in  detaching  the  hal- 
yards. 

"  Let  go  !  Down  with  the  mainsail ! "  cried  Waddie, 
furiously. 

"Ay,  ay!"  replied  Nick,  as  he  let  go  the  halyards; 
but  he  was  just  half  a  second   too  late. 

The  squall  struck  the  sail,  and  the  Raven  toppled 
over  as  easily  as  though  she  had  been  built  for  the 
express  purpose  of  upsetting.  In  an  instant  Miss 
Minnie  was  floundering  in  the  mad  waves,  and 
screaming  for  help.  The  glorious  opportunity  to  do 
a  noble  deed,  for  which  Nick  had  so  devotedly 
hoped,  had  come.  Waddie  was  thrown  into  the  wa- 
ter, but  he  clung  to  the  boom  with  his  uninjured 
arm. 

Unfortunately  for  Nick,  his  legs  were  tangled  in 
the  halyards  of  the  sail.  The  Raven's  ballast  shifted, 
and  she  rolled  over  till  she"  lay  bottom  upwards  on 
the  waves.  Nick  was  drawn  under  water  by  the 
action   of  the   boat;   but   he   quickly   freed   his   legs 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  51 

from  the  rope,  and  coming  up,  clung  to  the  hull 
till  he  could  ascertain  the  position  of  Miss  Minnie, 
who  was  still  struggling  in  the  waves  some  distance 
from  the  boat. 

He  was  too  late.  The  circumstances  mocked  him 
again.  The  squall  was  subsiding,  and  Tommy  Top- 
pleton,  like  a  true  knight,  had  leaped  into  the  water 
the  instant  he  saw  Minnie's  condition,  and  was 
swimming  towards  her.  The  glorious  opportunity 
was  lost 


52  BRAKE    UP,   OR 


CHAPTER  V. 


ROMANCE    AND    REALITY. 


THE  squall  was  very  brief  in  its  duration,  lasting 
hardly  a  minute;  but  it  was  immediately  fol- 
lowed by  torrents  of  rain.  Tommy  Toppleton  was  a 
strong  swimmer,  and  having  but  a  short  distance  to 
make,  he  soon  reached  the  spot  where  Minnie  was 
vainly  struggling.  She  was  nearly  exhausted  by  the 
violence  of  her  useless  efforts,  when  Tommy  grasped 
her  in  his  arms,  and  lifted  her  head  above  the  water. 
Half  a  minute  later,  the  Belle  came  to  his  assistance, 
and  Tom  Walton  drew  the  sufferer  into  the  boat. 

Mr.  Nicholas  Van  Wolter  was  disgusted,  and  highly 
indignant  that  Tommy  Toppleton  should  venture  to 
perform  the  noble  part  which  he  had  assigned  to  him- 
self. All  his  brilliant  prospects  were  imperilled,  for 
not  only  had  Nick  lost  the  prestige  of  saving  the  fair 
being  himself,  but  another  had  won  it.     The  admira- 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  53 

tion,  gratitude,  and  love  which  the  rescue  was  to 
secure  for  him,  had  been  wrested  from  him  by  the 
venturesome  Tommy.  His  Sunday  clothes  had  been 
wet  for  nothing,  and  he  was  even  willing  to  believe 
that  he  had  come  nearer  being  drowned  himself  than 
any  other  member  of  the  party. 

The  gallant  Tommy  was  hastily  assisted  into  the 
Belle,  and  Tom  Walton  headed  her  towards  the 
wreck  of  the  Raven,  where  Waddie  and  Nick  were 
relieved  from  their  uncomfortable  situation.  Minnie 
was  in  the  little  cuddy  forward,  with  Grace  Toppleton, 
who  had  retired  to  its  friendly  shelter  before  the  squall 
came  on.  Strange  as  it  may  see*m,  these  young  ladies 
were  hardly  acquainted  with  each  other,  for  the  rela- 
tions between  their  respective  families  had  prevented 
them  from  meeting,  except  by  accident.  Once,  since 
Tommy  and  Waddie  had  buried  the  hatchet,  their  sis- 
ters had  been  together  for  a  few  moments,  and  for  the 
first  time  in  their  lives  had  spoken  to  each  other.  But 
Grace  wras  all  kindness  and  attention,  and  did  all  that 
the  circumstances  would  admit  for  the  comfort  of 
Minnie. 

"How  is  Minnie?"  demanded  Waddie,  anxiously, 
as  soon  as  he  was  helped  into  the  boat. 


54  BRAKE   UP,   OR 

"  She  is  doing  very  well,  I  think,"  replied  Tommy. 
"  She  was  not  in  the  water  more  than  a  couple  of 
minutes,  and  her  clothing  buoyed  her  up  so  that  she 
did  not  go  down  at  all." 

"  You  are  a  noble  fellow,  Tommy.  You  saved  her 
life,  and  I  shall  always  be  grateful  to  you,"  added 
Waddie,  grasping  the  hand  of  the  hero. 

"There  wasn't  any  need  of  junrping  overboard  — 
not  a  bit,"  interposed  Tom  "Walton,  with  his  good- 
natured  grin. 

"I  don't  know  that  there  was  any  need  of  it,  but  it 
seemed  to  me  just  as  though  something  ought  to  be 
done  at  once,"  replied  Tommy.  "  Our  sails  were 
down,  and  I  was  afraid  she  would  sink  before  we 
could  get  to  her  in  the  boat." 

"  You  did  just  what  you  thought  was  right,  Tom- 
my," added  Tom  Walton.  "  You  were  just  as  noble 
as  George  Washington  himself;  but,  if  you  had  taken 
the  other  oar,  and  helped  me  work  the  boat,  we  could 
have  reached  Miss  Wimpleton  just  as  quick,  if  not  a 
little  quicker,  than  you  could  swim  to  her." 

The  skipper  of  the  Belle  was  a  very  practical  young 
man.     Perhaps  his  education  had  been  neglected,  for 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  55 

he  had  never  read  a  romance  in  his  life,  and  was 
utterly  unable  to  appreciate  the  sublime  heights  to 
which  Nick  soared. 

"  If  there  was  no  need  of  jumping  overboard,  I  am 
sorry  I  did  it,"  said  Tommy,  laughing.  "  I  did  not 
suppose  you  could  move  the  boat  without  hoisting  the 
mainsail,  and  my  idea  was,  that  the  young  lady  would 
drown  before  the  Belle  could  be  started.  But  Miss 
Wimpleton  is  safe,  and  we  need  not  trouble  ourselves 
any  more  about  the  matter." 

"  You  did  first  rate,  Tommy,"  replied  Tom  Walton ; 
"  but  I  hate  to  see  a  fellow  risk  his  life  when  there 
isn't  any  need  of  it.     That's  all  I  wanted  to  say." 

"By  the  great  horn  spoon,  Tommy,  you  did  the 
biggest  thing  a  fellow  ever  did,"  said  Wad  die,  with 
great  enthusiasm. 

"  That's  so,"  added  Tom  Walton.  "  He  risked  his 
life.  I  think  just  as  much  of  the  act  as  any  of  you, 
I  want  you  to  understand ;  but  there  wasn't  any  need 
of  it." 

"  I  did  what  I  thought  was  best,"  repeated  Tommy. 
"  We  won't  say  anything  more  about  it  now.  What 
shall  we  do?" 


56  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"  We  will  run  over  to  Grass  Springs,  and  the  girls 
can  dry  themselves  at  the  hotel,"  suggested  Waddie. 

"  Good  !  Run  for  Grass  Springs,  Tom,"  said  Tom- 
my Toppleton. 

"  All  right,"  answered  the  skipper,  as  he  hoisted  his 
mainsail;  and  in  a  few  moments  the  Belle  was  headed 
towards  the  place  indicated. 

The  rain  continued  to  pour  down  in  torrents,  and 
Tom  Walton,  who  had  not  been  overboard,  was  just 
as  wet  as  those  who  had  been.  Grace,  in  the  cabin, 
was  the  only  dry  one  of  the  party.  But  the  boys  had 
been  so  often  ducked  that  they  did  not  heed  it.  Un- 
der the  gentle  ministrations  of  Grace,  Minnie  recov- 
ered from  the  terror  of  the  accident,  and  regained  her 
self-possession. 

"Your  brother  is  a. noble  fellow,"  said  she.  "I  am 
sure  I  should  have  sunk  in  another  instant,  if  he  had 
not  come  to  my  assistance." 

"  I  am  very  glad  Tommy  was  able  to  help  you," 
replied  Grace. 

"  I  want  to  see  him,  and  thank  him  for  what  he 
did,"  added  Minnie. 
(r   "I  will  call  him." 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  57 

Tommy  came  at  the  summons,  dripping  like  an  eel 
just  from  his  native  element. 

"  Miss  Wimpleton  wishes  to  see  you,"  said  Grace, 
as  he  crawled  into  the  cabin. 

"  I  do,  Mr.  Toppleton.  I  must  thank  you  for  saving 
my  life.  I  shall  remember  you  with  gratitude  as  long 
as  I  live." 

"  O,  not  at  all,  Miss  Wimpleton.  I  only  did  what 
I  thought  was  right,  and  I  hope  you  won't  feel  under 
any  obligations  to  me,"  replied  Tommy,  lightly. 

"  But  I  .do  feel  under  very  great  obligations  to  you, 
for  I  value  my  life  very  highly.  I  should  certainly  have 
been  drowned  if  you  had  not  come  when  you  did." 

"  Tom  Walton  says  there  was  not  the  least  need  of 
my  jumping  overboard,"  laughed  the  hero  of  the  hour. 

"I  don't  care  what  Tom  Walton  says;  I  shall 
always  feel  that  I  owe  my  life  to  you." 

"  O,  no !  Not  quite  so  bad  as  that.  Tom  would 
have  saved  you  in  half  a  minute  more,  if  I  hadn't." 

"You  need  not  try  to  disparage  what  you  have 
done ;  and  if  Tom  Walton  or  anybody  else  does  so,  I 
shall  hate  him  as  long  as  I  live." 

"  Nick  Van  Wolter  says  he  was  just  going  to  swim 


58  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

to  you  when  he  saw  me  close  beside  you;  so  you 
could  not  have  drowned." 

"  Well,  I  am  so  thankful  I  owe  my  life  to  you, 
instead  of  Nick ! "  exclaimed  Minnie,  with  a  candor 
which  did  not  pause  to  consider  the  possible  conse- 
quences of  such  an  admission. 

"  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  good 
opinion,  Miss  Wimpleton.  I'm  sure  you  don't  inherit 
the  family  rancor." 

"Indeed,  I  do  not!  I  used  to  hate  all  the  Topple- 
tons;  but  Waddie  says  you  are  a  splendid  fellow, 
though  he  did  not  find  it  out  till  since  he  made  up 
with  you." 

"I  am  very  much  obliged  to  him,"  answered  Tom- 
my. "  I  know  I  used  to  be  a  pretty  hard  boy ;  but  I 
have  been-  trying  to  do  better,  and  I  am  sure  your 
good  opinion  will  be  a  great  encouragement  to  me." 

"  I  don't  know  that  my  good  opinion  will  do  you 
much  good ;  but  I  shall  always  think  of  you  as  a 
noble  fellow,  who  risked  his  own  life  to  save  mine." 

"  I  can  only  try  to  merit  your  esteem  and  regard," 
replied  Tommy,  as  he  gazed  with  an  unwonted  inter- 
est at  the  fair  face  and  graceful  form  of  Minnie. 


THE    TOUXG    PEACEMAKERS.  59 

"I  don't  think  I  shall  ever  dare  to  get  into  a  boat 
again,"  added  she,  with  something  like  a  shudder. 
"At  least,  I  shall  not  unless  I  know  you  are  near, 
Mr.  Toppleton." 

"  I  don't  exactly  understand  how  the  Raven  was 
upset.  Waddie  is  one  of  the  best  skippers  on  the 
lake,"  replied  Tommy. 

"  He  has  a  lame  arm,  you  know." 

"  That  boat  went  over  very  easy." 

"I  certainly  will  never  get  into  that  boat  again. 
Where  are  we  going  now?" 

"Over  to  the  hotel  at  Grass  Springs.  You  can  dry 
yourself  there,  and  then  we  will  have  some  dinner," 
answered  Tommy,  as  he  left  the  cabin. 

"  Your  brother  is  a  real  nice  young  man,"  said  Min- 
nie, as  the  subject  of  her  remark  disappeared. 

"I  think  so  myself,  though  he  was  not  always  so. 
"Now  he  is  kind  and  obliging  to  me,  and  to  all  the 
family.  He  would  do  anything  for  us,  and  never 
speaks  a  rude   word,  or  does  an  ugly  thing." 

"It's  just  so  with  Waddie.  Isn't  it  strange  what  a 
change  has  come  over  both  of  them?" 

"  Very  strange,  indeed  ;  but  what  a  blessed  change 


60  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

it  is !  A  year  ago,  Tommy  would  not  even  let  me  go 
in  a  boat  with  him,  though  I  am  very  fond  of  sailing." 

"It  was  just  so  with  Waddie.  Now  he  invites  me 
very  often,  though  he  has  had  the  Raven  only  a  few 
days.  I  hope  he  will  have  a  safer  boat.  Do  you  know 
how  my  brother  happened  to  become  such  a  good 
boy?"  inquired  Minnie,  suddenly  raising  her  head  and 
gazing  earnestly  at  her  companion,  as  though  a  new 
idea  had  flashed  upon  her  mind.  "I'll  tell  you.  It 
was  Captain  Wolf  Penniman  that  did  it.  Pooh !  you 
needn't  blush,  Miss  Toppleton." 

"  I  was  not  aware  that  I  did  blush,"  added  Grace, 
with  some  confusion. 

"  They  say  he  is  very  fond  of  you." 

"  He  is  a  very  good  friend  of  mine." 

"  I  knew  it,"  said  Minnie,  archly.  "  What  does 
your  father  say  about  it?" 

"My  father?" 

»  Yes." 

"About  what?" 

"  About  Wolf,  of  course." 

"  He  thinks  very  highly  of  him,  and  is  grateful  to 
him  for  his  kindness  to  Tommy  when  he  was  sick." 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  61 

"  But  what  does  he  say  about  you  and  Wolf?  " 

"  About  Wolf  and  me  !  Why,  nothing,  of  course," 
replied  Grace,  evidently  astonished  at  the  remark. 

"  How  dull  you  are  !  "  laughed  Minnie.  "  Every, 
body  says  Wolf  is  in  love  with  you,  and  that  you  are 
not  indifferent  towards  him." 

"  Why,  I  never  thought  of  any  such  thing !  "  ex- 
claimed Grace.  "  We  are  very  good  friends — that's 
all." 

"Well,  I  suppose  that's  enough." 

"Wolf  was  always  very  kind  and  very  polite  to  me, 
and  I  think  he  is  a  very  good  and  a  very  smart  young 
man.    I  never  had  any  other  thought  in  regard  to  him." 

"  How  people  do  talk !  " 

"  Why,  I'm  only  sixteen  years  old ! " 

"  Sweet  sixteen  !  " 

"  I  don't  think  boys  and  girls  of  our  age  ought  to 
meddle  with  such  matters." 

"Don't  you?" 

"Indeed  I  don't!" 

"Does  Wolf  think  so?" 

"  I  don't  know;  but  I'm  certain  that  he  never  spoke 
of  such  things  to  me." 


62  BEAKE   UP,    OE 

"  Perhaps  he  will  one  of  these  days,  when  the  time 
comes." 

It  was  plain  that  Minnie  had  devoted  more  atten- 
tion to  a  certain  class  of  subjects  than  Grace  had ;  but 
then  she  was  nearly  a  year  older.  It  was  a  question 
with  her  whether  Major  Toppleton  would  permit  the 
young  steamboat  captain  to  entangle  the  affections  of 
his  daughter;  for  he  could  hardly  permit  her  to  be- 
come the  wife  of  a  common  mechanic's  son,  even 
though  he  was  the  commander  of  a  lake  steamer. 
But,  however  different  the  views  of  the  two  young 
ladies  in  regard  to  these  trying  subjects,  they  were 
rapidly  becoming  the  most  devoted  friends. 

When  the  Belle  reached  the  shore  at  Grass  Springs, 
Tommy  had  made  wp  his  mind  that  Minnie  was  one 
of  the  prettiest  girls  he  had  ever  seen,  and  he  won- 
dered that  he  had  not  discovered  the  fact  before,  for 
he  had  occasionally  met  her  since  the  healing  of  the 
rupture  between  himself  and  her  brother.  Tommy 
was  not  quite  eighteen,  but  he  was  progressive  in  his 
ideas. 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  63 


CHAPTER  VI. 


A   DISCOMFITED    ASPIRANT. 


«"T"YTHAT    next?"    asked    Waddie   Wimpleton, 

?  f  when  the  Belle  was  made  fast  to  the  wharf 
at  Grass  Springs. 

"I  will  get  a  carriage  to  convey  the  ladies  to  the 
hotel,"  proposed  Tommy.  "And,  while  they  are  dry- 
ing their  clothes,  we  will  go  back  and  pick  up  the 
Raven." 

"  That  will  do  it,"  replied  Waddie.  "  We  can  order 
dinner  at  the  same  time.  The  sun  is  coming  out,  and 
we  shall  all  be  dry  enough  by  the  time  we  return." 

Tommy  soon  procured  a  covered  vehicle,  and  hand- 
ed Miss  Minnie  to  a  seat  within  it.  He  appeared  to 
be  much  interested  in  the  young  lady,  and  Mr.  Nicho- 
las Van  Wolter  watched  him  with  a  keen  eye.  It 
was  natural  enough  that  he  should  be  so,  and  equally 
natural  that  the  young  lady  should  smile  sweetly  upon 
him,  as  she  certainly  did.     According  to  Nick's  theory, 


64  BRAKE    UP,   OR 

the  parties  were  already  in  love;  and,  in  his  own 
heart,  he  abused  the  stars  that  had  deprived  him  of 
the  glorious  opportunity  which  he  had  supposed  was 
within  his  grasp.  He  had  "  made  the  chance,"  in  the 
language  of  his  ambitious  mother,  but  another  had. 
gathered  the  fruit.  He  was  sorely  disappointed  and 
disheartened  at  his  ill  luck.  He  had  beaten  the  bush, 
but  Tommy  Toppleton  had  caught  the  game. 

Nothing  could  rob  him  of  the  satisfaction  of  re- 
membering that  Minnie  had  smiled  upon  him,  had 
spoken  kindly  to  him,  and  had  hinted  at  her  admira- 
tion of  him.  Something  might  yet  occur  to  turn  the 
current  in  his  favor,  and  all  he  could  do  at  present 
was  to  watch  his  chances.  He  wished  Tommy  Top- 
pleton was  somewhere  else,  for  it  vexed  him ;  and,  in 
the  language  of  the  literature  he  patronized,  "  wrung 
the  cords  of  his  soul"  to  see  his  rival  handing  the  fair 
one  into  the  carriage,  and  to  see  her,  dripping  like  a 
mermaid  from  the  depths  of  the  sea,  smiling  so  sig- 
nificantly upon  him. 

It  was  agreed  that  Tommy  should  go  up  to  the 
hotel  with  the  ladies,  and  make  the  necessary  arrange- 
ments for  their  accommodation,  and  for  dinner  for  the 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  65" 

whole  party.  It  gave  Nick  an  additional  pang  to  see 
the  hero  of  the  day  seat  himself  opposite  the  moist 
divinity,  where  he  could  gaze  unrestrained  into  her 
face ;  and  still  another  to  observe  that  Miss  Wimple- 
ton  seemed  to  be  pleased  with  his  company.  It  was  a 
plain  case,  and  the  houses  of  Wimpleton  and  Topple- 
ton  were  in  imminent  danger  of  being  united  by  a 
marriage  at  no  very  distant  day. 

"  Do  you  want  to  sell  that  boat  of  yours,  Waddie  ?  " 
said  Tom  Walton,  as  the  carriage  drove  off,  and  the 
rest  of  the  party  seated  themselves  in  the  sun,  which 
was  now  shining  brightly,  to  dry  their  wet  garments. 

"What  will  you  give  for  her?"  replied  Waddie, 
jocosely. 

"Fifty  cents." 

"Won't  you  say  seventy-five?" 

"  ISTo ;   I  wouldn't  give  more  than  half  a  dollar." 

"The  Raven  is  the  fastest  boat  on  the  lake,  since 
she  has  beaten  the  Belle  handsomely." 

"  She  beats  her  tipping  over,"  laughed  Tom. 

"  That  wasn't  her  fault,"  replied  Waddie,  seriously 
"The  Belle  would  have  gone  over  under  the  same 
circumstances." 
5 


66  BEAKE   UP,    OE 

"  I  don't  know  but  she  would  with  the  mainsail  up 
and  the  sheet  fast,"  answered  Tom.  "  I  suppose  your 
lame  arm  prevented  you  from  letting  go  the  sheet." 

"  I  suppose  it  did ;  but  I  don't  usually  fasten  a  sheet 
as  that  one  was,"  said  Waddie,  glancing  at  Nick. 

"  Wasn't  it  fastened  right  ? "  asked  Nick,  rather 
diffidently. 

"  It  was  fastened  to  hold,  but  not  to  let  go,"  replied 
Waddie,  more  sharply  than  he  was  in  the  habit  of 
speaking  of  late.  "  Boatmen  don't  often  put  three  or 
four  hitches  in  a  sheet,  especially  when  there  is  a 
squall  coming  up.  Did  you  intend  to  have  the  Raven 
upset?" 

"  Intend  it  ? "  stammered  Nick. 

"Yes,  I  asked  you  if  you  intended  to  upset  the 
boat?" 

"What  makes  you  think  I  intended  to  upset  her?" 
whined  the  culprit. 

"  Because,  if  you  did,  you  went  to  work  just  right, 
and  accomplished  your  purpose." 

"  Come,  come,  that's  rather  rough  on  a  fellow," 
interposed  Tom  Walton,  with  a  deprecatory  grin. 
"  Of  course  no  fellow  would  intend  to  upset  a  boat 
when  there  was  a  lady  in  it." 


THE  YOUNG  peacemaker.?.  67 

"  Do  you  put  three  or  four  half  hitches  on  the  cleat 
when  you  make  fast  your  main  sheet,  Tom  ?  "  demand- 
ed Waddie,  who  was  justly  indignant  at  the  dis- 
covery he  had  made  just  as  the  Raven  upset  —  so 
indignant  that  he  could  not  trust  himself  to  speak  of 
the  matter  in  the  presence  of  the  ladies. 

"  Of  course  not.  I  never  fasten  the  sheet  at  all 
when  the  wind  is  heavy  or  flawy.  I  always  pass  it 
over  the  cleat,  and  hold  the  end  in  my  hand,"  an- 
swered the  skipper  of  the  Belle. 

"  That's  the  right  way ;  and  I  have  told  Nick  more 
than  once,  when  he  has  been  sailing  with  me,  never  to 
fasten  the  sheet,  not  even  in  a  dead  calm.  When  I 
went  to  cast  off  the  sheet,  I  found  three  hitches  at 
least,  and  I  don't  know  but  four  or  five,  hauled  up  so 
tight  that  I  could  not  loose  them." 

"But  you  don't  believe  l^ick  intended  to  have  the 
squall  upset  the  boat  when  it  came  —  do  you  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  don't  believe  it." 

Kick  breathed  easier. 

"  Because  he  was  in  the  boat  himself.  It  stands  to 
reason  a  fellow  don't  want  to  upset  the  boat  in  which 
he  is  himself  a  passenger,"  argued  Tom. 


68  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"  Well,  I  only  said  if  he  had  intended  to  upset  her, 
he  could  not  have  done  anything  different  from  what 
he  did.  I  don't  mean  to  accuse  him  of  anything  out 
of  the  way,"  explained  Waddie. 

"  I  always  like  to  do  a  thing  well,  and  I  suppose  I 
overdid  it  this  time,"  muttered  Nick. 

"I  don't  think,  if  I  had  had  two  hands  to  work  with, 
I  could  have  cast  off  the  sheet  in  season  to  save  the 
boat,"  continued  Waddie. 

"  I  can't  imagine  what  you  were  thinking  about 
when  you  fastened  that  sheet,  Nick." 

"  I  really  don't  know,  myself,"  pleaded  the  culprit. 

"Neither  can  I  understand  why  you  didn't  let  go 
the  halyards  when  I  told  you  to  do  so." 

"  I  couldn't  unfasten  them.  The  ropes  were  new, 
and  full  of  kinks,"  replied  he. 

"  You  hoisted  the  sail  and  secured  the  halyards 
yourself." 

"  I  know  I  did ;  I  don't  pretend  to  be  much  of  a 
sailor." 

"  But  you  have  been  in  a  boat  enough  to  know  how 
to  handle  one ;  and  a  fellow  ought  to  be  able  to  untie 
his  own  knots,"  continued  Waddie. 


THE    YOUXG    PEACEMAKERS.  69 

"  Well,  what's  done  can't  be  helped,"  said  the  good- 
natured  Tom  Walton.  It's  no  use  to  cry  for  spilled 
milk." 

"  But  it's  better  to  understand  the  matter,  so  as  not 
to  spill  any  more." 

Waddie  had  no  idea  that  his  assistant  had  intended 
to  upset  the  boat,  though  he  rubbed  very  closely  in 
his  remarks  upon  the  subject.  The  conduct  of  Nick 
seemed  to  be  either  criminal  or  inexcusably  stupid. 
The  Raven  was  disparaged,  and  he  defended  her 
when  he  exposed  the  bungling  work  of  his  companion. 
Indeed,  when  any  one  is  careless  with  a  boat,  he  ought 
to  be  severely  censured  ;  and  Waddie,  without  malice, 
and  only  with  a  reasonable  indignation,  felt  it  to  be  his 
duty  to  express  himself  very  plainly.  The  return  of 
Tommy  from  the  hotel  put  an  end  to  the  discussion, 
and  the  party  embarked  in  the  Belle  to  recover  the 
wreck  of  the  Raven. 

They  found  her  near  the  South  Shoe,  towards 
which  she  had  drifted  till  her  masts  struck  the  sands 
of  the  shoal  water.  She  did  not  carry  ballast  enough 
to  sink  her  when  she  filled,  and  her  cuddy  had  been 
closed  when  the  accident  happened,  so  that  a  portion 


70  BRAKE    UP,    OE 

of  air  remained  to  assist  in  buoying  her  up.  She  had 
turned  into  a  nearly  inverted  position ;  but  when  the 
mast  struck  the  bottom  of  the  lake,  the  boat  had 
continued  to  drift,  till  she  was  thrown  up  nearly  on 
her  beam  ends.  With  the  aid  of  a  boat-hook,  a  rope 
was  passed  under  the  topmast,  and  the  end  carried  in 
the  Belle  to  the  other  side  of  the  hull,  which  lay 
parallel  with  the  line  of  shore.  The  Belle  was  then 
anchored,  and  all  hands  heaved  on  the  rope  till  the 
Raven  was  brought  to  an  upright  position. 

Both  boats  were  supplied  with  buckets  and  baling 
dippers,  and,  after  an  hour's  hard  work,  she  was 
relieved  of  the  load  of  water  she  contained,  sponged 
out,  and  the  sun  soon  dried  her  seats,  so  that  she  was  . 
in  as  good  order  as  when  she  left  Centreport  in  the 
morning.  As  soon  as  the  party  went  on  board  of  her, 
Waddie  called  the  attention  of  the  others  to  the 
manner  in  which  the  sheet  was  secured.  There  were 
four  half  hitches  on  the  cleat,  and  even  Tom  Wal- 
ton was  forced  to  admit  that  Nick  was  crazy,  or  had 
intended  to  upset  the  boat.  It  was  charitable  to 
believe  that  he  had  lost  his  wits. 

"I  should  not  care  a  straw   about  it  if  Minnie  had 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  71 

not  been  frightened  out  of  a  year's  growth,"  said 
Waddie. 

"It  is  lucky  she  is  pretty  tall  now,"  added  Tom. 

"  She  will  never  dare  to  sail  in  this  boat  again." 

"We  will  explain  it  to  her,"  suggested  Tom. 

"  And  let  her  understand  that  it  was  all  Nick's 
fault,"  continued  Waddie,  roguishly;  for,  without 
comprehending  the  magnitude  of  the  aspiring  young 
gentleman's  intentions,  he  knew  that  he  had  mani- 
fested a  strong  admiration  for  his  sister. 

Poor  Nick  could  not  say  a  word.  His  precious 
scheme  for  winning  the  favor  of  Minnie  had  resulted 
in  covering  him  with  odium  and  disgrace  in  her  eyes. 
The  day  seemed  to  be  absolutely  lost,  though  he  was 
brave  enough  to  hope  that  the  future  would  redeem 
his  chances.  Tommy  Toppleton  had  won  the  day 
without  any  hard  thought,  without  any  difficult 
scheming.  He  was  the  glorious  hero  in  Miss  Wimple- 
ton's  estimation.  She  had  bestowed  sweet  smiles  on 
the  fortunate  fellow.  Now,  Waddie  was  going  over 
to  tell  her  that  the  unhappy  Mr.  Van  Wolter  had 
been  the  sole  cause  of  all  the  mischief.  The  owner 
of  the  Raven  would  win  back  her  reputation  as  a  safe 


72  BRAKE   TJP,   OR 

boat  at  his  expense.  He  could  not  afford  to  quarrel 
with  the  little  magnate ;  so  he  was  obliged  to  be  meek 
and  submissive ;  but  he  did  not  wish  to  appear  again 
that  day  in  the  presence  of  the  injured  divinity. 

"  I  suppose  I  shall  not  be  wanted  any  more  to-day," 
said  he,  humbly. 

"I  think  not;  but  you  shall  dine  with  us  at  the 
hotel,"  replied  Waddie. 

"  I  thank  you  ;  I  don't  want  any  dinner.  I  think  I 
have  taken  cold.  I  don't  feel  very  well.  My  diges- 
tion is  out  of  order,"  stammered  Nick.  "  If  it  is  all 
the  same  to  you,  I  would  rather  go  home.  I  will  take 
the  next  train  at  the  Springs  for  Middleport." 

"  I  don't  want  you  to  go  back  without  your  dinner, 
Nick,"  added  Waddie,  more  gently;  and  his  assistant 
was  so  humble  that  he  began  to  think  he  had  been  too 
severe. 

"  I  really  don't  want  any  dinner.  I  hope  you  will 
excuse  me.  I  made  a  very  bad  blunder  in  the  boat, 
and  I  know  you  all  despise  me,  and  that  the  ladies 
will  despise  me  too,"  pleaded  Nick. 

"  I  won't  say  anything  about  the  boat  to  them," 
added  Waddie.     "  I  was  only  joking  when  I  spoke  of 


THE    YOUXG   PEACEMAKERS.  73 

telling  Minnie  it  was  your  fault.  I  will  forgive  you 
if  you  will  promise  never  to  put  even  a  single  hitch 
in  a  sheet  again." 

"I  never  will.  On  my  honor,  I  never  will.  It  was 
a  bad  mistake ;  but  it  shall  never  be  repeated.  Really 
I  would  rather  go  home." 

"  Why  don't  you  let  him  take  your  boat  up,  and 
you  return  with  us  ? "  suggested  Tommy. 

"  Can  you  take  the  Raven  up  to  Centreport  without 
upsetting  her,  Nick?"  asked  Waddie. 

"  Certainly  I  can." 

"  Then  you  may  take  her." 

"  Thank  you,"  replied  Nick,  as  he  hastened  to  set 
the  mainsail. 

Pushing  off  from  the  Belle,  the  discomfited  Nick 
headed  his  craft  up  the  lake. 

"  I'll  bet  there  will  be  music  in  Grass  Springs  this 
afternoon,"  muttered  he,  shaking  his  head,  as  he  saw 
the  other  boat  fill  away  on  her  course. 


74  BRAKE    UP,   OR 


CHAPTER  VII. 

COLONEL    WIMPLE  TON    DROPS    THE    REINS. 

THE  breeze  was  light  after  the  shower,  and  the 
Raven  did  not  give  Nick  Van  Wolter  much 
trouble  to  manage  her.  He  was  able,  therefore,  to 
devote  his  undivided  thought  to  the  disappointment 
he  had  experienced,  and  the  odium  he  had  incurred. 
Tommy  Toppleton  had  stepped  between  him  and  the 
richest  prize  that  ever  lured  a  mortal  young  man  ;  and 
Nick  seemed  to  have  no  doubt  that  the  treasure  would 
have  been  easily  won  if  his  brilliant  scheme  had  not 
miscarried.  He  did  not  thank  Tommy  for  what  he 
had  done,  and  he  envied  him  in  the  enjoyment  of 
Miss  Minnie's  smile. 

But  one  was  a  Toppleton  and  the  other  was  a  Wim- 
pleton.  The  two  houses  had  been  at  war  for  many 
years,  and  the  two  heads  of  the  families  were  still  as 
implacable   and   bitter   as  ever  towards    each   other. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  75 

Major  Toppleton  would  not  permit  his  daughter  to 
become  a  Wimpleton;  and  Colonel  Wimpleton  would 
not  permit  his  daughter  to  share  the  lot  of  a  Topple- 
ton. Nick  found  consolation  in  this  reflection.  Yet 
it  was  a  fact  that  Tommy  and  Minnie  would  dine 
and  spend  the  day  together.  With  the  perversity  of 
young  men  and  young  women  under  such  circum- 
stances, they  would  meet  again  without  the  knowledge 
of  their  fathers,  and  in  a  short  time  the  matter  would 
have  gone  so  far  that  it  could  not  be  checked. 

What  would  Colonel  Wimpleton  say  if  he  knew  that 
his  daughter  was  filled  with  admiration  and  gratitude 
towards  the  son  of  his  great  enemy  ?  Would  he  allow 
them  to  spend  a  whole  day  together?  Certainly  not. 
But  he,  the  disinterested  Mr.  Nick  Van  Wolter,  knew 
all  about  it.  He  was  well  aware  that  Tommy  and 
Minnie  were  cementing  an  attachment  which  fathers 
could  not  break  off.  As  a  friend  of  the  family,  as  a 
sincere  well-wisher  of  Miss  Wimpleton,  was  it  not 
his  duty  to  interfere,  and  inform  the  colonel  of  the 
nature  of  the  proceedings  at  Grass  Springs?  He  had 
no  difficulty  in  convincing  himself  that  such  a  course 
was  the  highest  duty  of  the  hour,  and  that  it  would 
be  inexcusable  in  him  to  neglect  to  perform  it, 


76  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

Yet  it  was  a  disagreeable  duty.  Any  interference 
on  his  part  might  cost  him  the  valuable  friendship  of 
Waddie,  though  it  might  secure  to  him  the  more 
valuable  influence  of  the  colonel  himself.  As  he  con- 
sidered the  subject  in  all  its  bearings,  he  found  himself 
very  unwilling  to  incur  the  displeasure  of  Waddie, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  of  Minnie  herself.  It  would 
ruin  all  his  possible  chances  in  the  future.  He  had 
fully  intended  from  the  first  that  there  should  be 
"music"  at  Grass  Springs  that  afternoon,  and  that 
Colonel  Wimpleton  should  make  it;  but  when  he 
looked  the  matter  fair  in  the  face,  he  was  not  disposed 
to  become  the  informer  in  person. 

The  colonel  must  know  what  was  going  on  at  the 
SjDrings.  It  was  not  prudent  for  Nick  to  tell  him, 
and  he  thought  of  various  expedients  to  accomplish 
the  purpose.  He  could  invent  nothing  that  was  quite 
satisfactory,  though  he  had  been  nearly  two  hours  in 
the  boat  considering  this  subject  alone.  He  finally 
concluded  to  consult  his  mother,  who  was  a  veritable 
female  Talleyrand  in  the  art  of  diplomacy.  This  dis- 
position of  the  matter  did  not  suit  him  much  better, 
inasmuch  as  he  could  not  see  how  she  was  to  manage 
the  matter  without  implicating  him. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  77 

While  he  was  still  arguing  the  case  with  himself, 
adopting  and  then  rejecting  various  methods,  the 
Raven's  keel  ground  roughly  on  the  sands  at  the  bot- 
tom, and  then  came  to  a  sudden  stop.  As  the  wind 
was  not  exactly  fair  to  go  up  the  lake,  he  had  been 
obliged  to  beat,  making  a  long  and  a  short  tack.  The 
Raven  had  passed  clear  of  a  headland,  about  half  way 
between  Ruoara  and  Centreport,  and  was  standing 
into  a  little  bay  above  the  point.  Nick  had  been  so 
absorbed  in  his  reflections,  that  he  did  not  notice  the 
rapid  shoaling  of  the  water  as  he  neared  the  shore. 
He  immediately  let  go  the  sheet,  in  which  he  had  put 
no  half  hitches  this  time;  and  seizing  an  oar,  he  at- 
tempted to  push  the  boat  off  the  shallow  beach.  But 
she  had  taken  the  ground  while  under  full  headway, 
and  all  his  strength  was  not  sufficient  to  move  her. 

In  vain  he  pushed  and  swayed  the  boat;  her  keel 
was  buried  in  the  sand,  and  it  was  impossible  for  him 
to  move  her  a  single  inch.  He  labored,  sweat,  and 
swore  till  he  was  heartily  discouraged.  The  water 
was  not  knee  deep  over  the  bow,  and  rolling  up  the 
legs  of  his  pants,  he  stood  upon  the  bottom,  and  tried 
to  pry  her  off  with  the  oar;  but  in  this  task  he  was 


78  BEAKE   UP,   OE 

also  unsuccessful.  Pie  was  still  three  miles  from  home, 
and  he  did  not  like  to  walk  this  distance,  on  the  one 
hand,  or  to  endure  the  censure  and  criticism  of  Wad- 
die,  on  the  other,  if  he  exposed  his  mismanagement  to 
him.  The  road  from  Centreport  to  Ruoara  lay  close 
to  the  shore,  and  there  was  a  house  within  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  of  the  spot.  He  finally  concluded  to  go  in 
search  of  assistance,  for  with  the  help  of  one  or  two 
others  he  could  push  the  Raven  off  into  deep  water. 

Taking  his  shoes  and  stockings  in  his  hand,  he 
waded  ashore,  and,  having  put  them  on,  he  started  for 
the  nearest  house,  in  the  direction  of  Ruoara.  He 
had  gone  but  a  few  steps  before  he  was. startled  by  the 
appearance  of  a  buggy  coming  towards  him,  the  horse 
attached  to  which  was  running  at  the  top  of  his  speed. 
His  first  impulse  was  to  get  out  of  the  road,  and  let 
the  frightened  animal  go  on  his  way  to  destruction, 
with  the  helpless  gentleman  who  occupied  the  seat  of 
the  vehicle.  But  a  second  glance  assured  him  that 
the  individual  in  the  buggy  was  Colonel  Wimpleton. 
Possessed  of  the  current  information  in  regard  to  the 
personal  habits  of  the  magnate  of  Centreport,  Nick 
had  no  difficulty  in  satisfying  himself  that  the  great 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  79 

man  was  intoxicated,  and  had  lost  the  control  of  the 
spirited  animal  he  drove.  Perhaps  this  was  the 
chance  which  had  long  been  in  store  for  the  ambitious 
young  man. 

Perhaps  it  would  serve  his  turn  as  well  to  save  the 
father  as  the  daughter.  But  it  was  no  easy  matter  to 
stop  a  terrified  horse,  though,  if  the  stars  were  favora- 
ble, he  might  succeed  in  doing  it.  Nick  had  only  one 
instant  for  reflection;  if  he  had  had  two,  very  likely 
he  would  have  declined  to  attempt  the  perilous  feat. 
Impelled  only  by  the  desire  to  do  a  big  thing  in  the 
service  of  the  powerful  and  influential  man  of  Centre- 
port,  he  pulled  off  his  coat  and  commenced  flourishing 
it  furiously  in  the  middle  of  the  road.  The  horse  saw 
this  obstacle  in  his  path,  and  evidently  did  not  like 
the  looks  of  it.  He  snorted  wildly,  and  exhibited  an 
evident  intention  to  dodge  it.  Sheering  towards  the 
lake,  he  attempted  to  pass  the  obstruction ;  but  Nick 
changed  his  position,  and  the  animal  abated  his  head- 
long speed. 

"  Stop  him  !  Stop  him  ! "  cried  the  colonel,  who 
was  plainly  terrified  by  the  situation,  for  the  reins 
were  dragging  on  the  ground. 


80  BRAKE    UP,    OB 

The  horse,  intimidated  by  this  movement  on  the 
part  of  Nick,  threw  himself  back  upon  the  breeching 
with  such  force  as  to  pitch  the  colonel  forward  upon 
the  dasher  of  the  buggy.  The  mad  animal  snorted 
furiously  in  his  terror,  and  then  seemed  disposed  to 
wheel  and  run  in  the  opposite  direction ;  but  the 
instant  his  speed  was  checked,  Nick  dropped  his  coat 
and  sprang  to  the  bridle  of  the  horse.  It  was  the 
coat,  and  not  the  young  man,  which  had  frightened 
the  animal ;  and  when  this  was  no  longer  before  him.' 
he  attempted  to  renew  his  flight  towards  home,  and 
dragged  poor  Nick  for  twenty  rods  before  he  could 
produce  any  effect  by  his  bold  action. 

Having  once  grasped  the  bridle  rein,  Nick  was 
obliged  to  hold  on  for  his  own  safety;  for  if  he  let  go, 
he  was  sure  to  be  thrown  down  and  mangled  under 
the  wheels.  The  horse  had  not  yet  broken  into  a 
run  after  his  flight  was  checked,  and,  dragging  Nick 
by  his  bit,  he  was  not  likely  to  do  so  till  he  had 
shaken  off  this  burden.  By  the  dint  of  tugging  and 
jerking,  the  young  man  had  drawn  the  horse's  head 
round  to  one  side,  which  impeded  his  efforts  to  go 
forward.  The  animal  was  not  ugly,  but  frightened, 
and  his  struggles  were  only  honest  efforts  to  escape. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  81 

"Whoa,  Major;  whoa!"  said  Nick,  in  soothing 
tones,  for  he  had  had  some  experience  with  horses*- 

By  these  gentle  means  he  succeeded  in  quieting  the 
animal,  and  finally  in  stopping  him,  though  he  was 
still  quivering  with  terror,  and  very  impatient  of 
restraint. 

"  Whoa,  Major ;  whoa  ! "  continued  Nick,  panting 
from  the  violence  of  his  own  efforts. 

He  had  learned  the  horse's  name  at  the  owner's 
stable;  and  patting  him  on  the  neck,  he  soon  reduced 
him  to  a  state  of  tolerable  calmness.  Colonel  Wim- 
pleton  improved  the  earliest  opportunity  to  get  out  of 
the  buggy.  It  was  plain  enough  that  he  had  been 
drinking  a  great  deal;  but  the  perils  through  which 
he  had  passed  had  done  something  to  modify  the 
influence  of  his  drams. 

"  You  have  done  me  a  good  turn,  young  man,"  said 
the  magnate,  when  he  was  safe  on  the  solid  ground. 

"Whoa,  Major;  whoa!"  added  Nick,  as  the  horse 
began  to  be  impatient  again. 

"  O,  it's  Nick  Yan  Wolter ! "  exclaimed  the  colonel, 
as  he  recognized  the  person  to  whom  he  was  indebted 
for  this  signal  service. 
6 


82  BRAKE   UP,   OR 

"Yes,  sir;  that  is  my  name,"  replied  Nick.  "The 
Major  is  wide  awake  to-day." 

"  I  never  knew  him  to  attempt  to  run  away  before. 
I  don't  know  exactly  how  it  was;  but  in  brushing  a 
fly  from  his  flank,  I  dropped  the  reins.  While  I  was 
trying  to  get  them  again,  he  got  frightened,  and  broke 
into  a  run,"  added  the  colonel. 

Nick  was  not  so  impolitic  and  impolite  as  to  hint  at 
the  true  explanation ;  but  probably  the  great  man, 
overcome  by  his  frequent  cups,  had  dropped  asleep, 
and  lost  the  reins  from  his  grasp ;  and  doubtless  they 
had  dandled  against  the  horse's  heels,  and  terrified 
him.  This  was  the  most  probable  solution  of  the 
problem. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  I  did  that  same  thing  once  myself,  when 
I  was  driving  the  mail  wagon ;  but  my  horse  was  not 
smart  enough  to  run  away,"  replied  Nick,  wishing  to 
do  all  he  could  to  soften  the  mortification  of  the  great 
man.  "Whoa,  Major;  whoa.  Stand  still;  that's  a 
good  fellow ! " 

"You  have  done  me  a  good  turn,  young  man," 
added  the  colonel,  who  felt  compelled  to  express  his 
obligations. 


THE    YOUXG   PEACEMAKERS.  83 

"  I'm  glad  to  serve  you,  sir,"  answered  Nick,  strug- 
gling to  be  modest. 

"  Come  to  my  house,  when  you  get  back  to  town, 
and  I  will  make  it  all  right  with  you." 

"  O,  it's  all  right  now,  sir." 

"Not  quite,"  said  the  colonel.  "You  have  done 
well ;  but  this  will  be  a  good  day's  work  for  you. 
You  shall  be  well  paid  for  what  you  have  done." 

"I  don't  want  any  pay,  sir,  for  doing  a  thing  like 
this,"  replied  Nick,  in  the  words  of  the  romances  he 
had  read. 

"  Come  and  see  me,  at  any  rate." 

"I  will,  sir,  if  you  desire;  but  I  don't  wish  to  be 
paid  for  a  slight  service  like  this." 

"  Won't  you  ride  home  with  me  ? "  added  the 
colonel,  as  he  stepped  into  the  buggy,  the  horse  being 
by  this  time  apparently  quite  reconciled. 

"Thank  you,  sir;  I  have  a  boat  here." 

"  Very  well ;  but  come  and  see  me  as  soon  as  you 
return;"  and  the  magnate  started  his  horse. 


84  BRAKE    UP,    OR 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


SECRETS    FOR    TWO. 


"T  HAVE  done  a  big  thing  now,  anyhow!"  ex- 
JL  claimed  Nick  to  himself  as  the  great  man  of 
Centreport  drove  off. 

But  the  buggy  had  proceeded  but  a  short  distance 
before  it  stopped.  Colonel  Wimpleton  had  forgotten 
something  which  he  wished  to  say  or  do,  and  Nick 
hastened  back  to  ascertain  what  more  he  could  do 
for  him. 

"Is  anything  the  matter,  sir?"  asked  Nick,  as  he 
rushed   up   to  the  vehicle. 

"  No ;  nothing.  I  want  to  say  a  word  to  you, 
young  man,  before  I  go,"  said  the  colonel,  whose 
expression  was  sheepish  and  embarrassed. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  answered  Nick,  as  the    speaker   paused. 

"You  are,  no  doubt,  a  very  discreet  young  man," 
continued  the   colonel. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  85 

"  I  try  to  be  so,   sir." 

"I  don't  like  to  be   talked   about." 

"No  one  does,   sir." 

"By  the  merest  accident  in  the  world  I  dropped 
my  reins,   and   my  horse  ran   away  with   me." 

"  It  was  only  what  might  happen  to  any  one,  sir." 

"Very  true." 

"Even  to  the  minister,  if  he  drove  a  smart  horse," 
suggested  Kick,  who  exactly  comprehended  the  mean- 
ing of  the  great   man. 

"  Certainly ;  but  people  talk  more  about  what  I 
do  and  say   than    they   do    about    other   folks." 

"Your  high  position  and  vast  influence  make  you 
very  prominent  in  the  community,  sir.  It  is  not 
strange  they  should  talk  about  you." 

"  Perhaps  not ;  but  I  don't  like  to  be  mishappre- 
hended." 

In  other  words,  Colonel  Wimpleton  feared  if  peo- 
ple knew  his  horse  ran  away  with  him,  that  they 
would  think  he  had  been  drinking  too  much.  He 
was  morbidly  sensitive  in  regard  to  his  besetting 
vice;  and  though  there  was  hardly  a  man,  woman, 
or  child  within  ten  miles  of  Centreport  who  had  not 


86  BF.AKE    UP,    OR 

heard  that  he  drank  too  much,  he  supposed  only  a 
few  intimate  friends  suspected  his  infirmity.  Like  all 
tipplers  of  his  description,  he  did  not  believe  that 
he  was  ever  actually  intoxicated. 

"I  understand  you  precisely,  sir,"  added  Nick. 
"  Nothing  happens  to  any  one  around  here  but  some- 
body says  he  was  drunk." 

Colonel  Wimpleton  frowned. 

"  Of  course,  no  one  can  suspect  you  of.  anything 
of  that  sort,  unless  he  belongs  on  the  other  side  of 
the  lake,"  continued  Nick,  taking  due  notice  of  the 
frown. 

"In  a  word,  young  man,  you  need  not  mention 
that  my  horse  ran  away  to-day,"  said  the  colonel. 

"  Certainly  not,  sir ;  I  did  not  intend  to  mention  it, 
unless  you  did  so  first  yourself.  I  hope  I  understand 
my  position  better  than  to  do  such  a  thing." 

"Keep  your  tongue  still,  and  you  shall  not  lose 
anything  by  it." 

"I  understand  you,  sir;  and  no  one  shall  ever  be 
the  wiser  for  anything  I   say." 

"That's  right;  come  and  see  me  as  soon  you  re- 
turn.    What  are  you  doing  up  here?" 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  87 

"I  have  been  down  to  Grass  Springs  with  Wad- 
die  and  Miss  Minnie,"  answered  Nick,  who  thought 
if  he  kept  the  colonel's  secret,  the  colonel  ought  to 
keep  his   secret. 

"Were  they  out  in  the  boat?" 

"Yes,  sir;  and  Tommy  Toppleton  and  Miss  Grace 
were  with  them." 

"  Humph ! "  sneered  the  magnate,  with  a  savage 
frown.     "What  are  they  doing  there?" 

"  They  are  going  to  have  a  dinner  at  the  hotel, 
and  a  good  time  generally,  I  suppose.  We  met  with 
an  accident  going  down,  sir." 

"What   was  that?" 

"  Wad  die's  boat  capsized  in  the  squall,  and  we 
were  all  pitched  into  the  lake." 

"  What ! "  exclaimed  the  colonel,  startled  at  the 
intelligence. 

"But  they  are  all  safe,  sir,"  added  Nick,  prompt- 
ly. "Tommy  Toppleton  swam  out  and  rescued  Miss 
Minnie." 

"She  is  safe,  then,"  said  the  father,  with  a  sigh 
of  relief. 

"  O,  yes !    She  is  all  right  now.     I  didn't  mean  to 


88  BRAKE    TIP,    OR 

say  anything  to  you  about  it,  sir,"  continued  Nick, 
fixing  his  eyes  on  the  ground,  as  though  he  was 
mortified  at  the  mistake  he  had  made. 

"Why  didn't  you  mean  to  say  anything  to  me 
about  it?"  demanded  the   colonel. 

"  Well,  sir,  only  because  I  make  it  a  point  to 
mind  my  own  business.  If  you  will  excuse  me,  I 
won't  say  any  more.  I  did  not  intend  to  mention 
the   subject." 

"What  do  you  mean?  What  is  going  on  over 
there?" 

"  O,  nothing,  sir,"  replied  Nick,  in  just  that  style 
of  expression  which  assures  the  hearer  there  is  a 
secret  to  be  concealed.  "I  hope  you  will  not  men- 
tion the  fact  that  I  spoke  of  the  affair,  for  I  had 
no  right  to  meddle   with  it." 

"What  affair?  What  are  you  talking  about?" 
said  the  magnate,  sharply. 

"I  ought  not  to  have  said  that  the  boat  was 
upset." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because  Tommy  Toppleton  saved  Minnie.  But 
I  hope  you  won't  ask  me  to  say  anything  more 
about  it,"  pleaded  Nick. 


THE    YOTTXG    PEACEMAKERS.  89 

"What  more  is  there  to  be  said?" 

"Nothing,  sir." 

"Yes,  there  is!"  protested  the  colonel,  his  curi- 
osity excited  to  the  highest  pitch. 

"You  and  Major  Toppleton  -don't  agree  very  well 
together,  sir;  and,  so  far  as  you  are  concerned,  I 
don't  wonder  at  it.  Of  course  Miss  Minnie  is  very 
grateful  to  Tommy;  but,  really,  I  must  not  say  any- 
thing more.  I  shall  ruin  myself  with  Waddie  and 
Miss  Minnie,  if  they  find  that  I  have  spoken  to  you 
about  a  matter  which  does  not  concern   me." 

"Don't  you  be  alarmed,  young  man;  I  will  not 
mention  to  any  one  that  I  have  even  seen  you,"  re- 
plied the  colonel,  more  gently.  "If  you  have  any- 
thing to   say,  speak  out." 

"I  don't  like  to  say  anything;  but  I  couldn't  help 
thinking  all  the  morning  that  you  would  be  very  an- 
gry if  you  knew  what  was  going  on." 

"What  is  going  on?"  demanded  the  great  man, 
his  patience  exhausted  by  the  apologies  and  expla- 
nations of  Nick. 

"Well,  sir,  one  of  these  days,  your  daughter,  Miss 
Minnie,  will  be  the  wife    of  Tommy  Toppleton,"  re- 


90  BRAKE    UP,   OR 

plied  Mr.  Yan  Wolter,  desperately.  "  Of  course  I 
give  it  only  as  my  opinion,  and  you  can  take  it  for 
what  it  is  worth." 

"The  wife  of  Tommy  Toppleton!  Why,  they  are 
only  children ! "  exclaimed  the  colonel. 

"Tommy  is  a  child  of  eighteen,  and  Miss  Minnie 
is  a  child  of  sixteen,"  added  Nick,  shrugging  his 
shoulders. 

The  magnate  knit  his  brow.  Fathers  are  the  last 
to  ascertain  that  their  sons  and  daughters  are  men 
and  women.  He  knew  that  Waddie  and  Tommy 
had  been  quite  intimate  for  several  months,  and  it 
was  possible  that  the  daughter  might  share  these 
friendly  relations.  In  his  estimation,  a  matrimonial 
alliance  between  the  two  families  would  be  a  ter- 
rible thing. 

"So  Tommy  saved  Minnie's  life,"  said  the  colonel, 
musing  on  the  probabilities  of  the  case. 

"Not  quite  so  bad  as  that.  The  Belle  would  have 
picked  her  up  in  a  moment,  if  he  had  not  gone  to 
her  assistance.  I  was  on  the  point  of  swimming  to 
her  myself;  but  I  got  tangled  up  in  the  halyards, 
and   was  dragged   under   the   boat   when   she   upset. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  -  91 

Tom  Walton  said  there,  was  no  need  of  Tommy's 
jumping  overboard." 

"  But  he  did  swim  to  her  ?  " 

"Yes;  and  Miss  Minnie  says  he  is  a  noble  and 
generous  fellow,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  I  saw 
how  the  matter  was  going,  and  I'll  bet  my  life  it 
will  end  in  a  ring." 

"It  shall  not!  I'll  send  Minnie  to  the  other  end 
of  the  world  before  any  such  thing  shall  happen," 
protested  the   colonel,  wrathfully. 

"Well,  sir,  I  don't  want  to  meddle  with  matters 
that  do  not  concern  me,  but  I  thought  you  ought  to 
know  it,"  continued  Nick.  "I'm  not  quite  sure  that 
Waddie  and  Miss  Grace  are  not  a  little  sweet  with 
each  other,  but  I  don't  like  to  say  anything." 

"I  am  very  glad  you  have  spoken  to  me  about 
this  matter,  Nick,"  said  Colonel  Wimpleton.  "  I  think 
I  have  been  a  little  blind.  Waddie  and  Tom  Top- 
pleton  have  been  together  a  great  deal  lately;  and 
now,  if  the  girls  are  going  with  them,  there  certainly 
will  be  mischief.     I  won't  have  it!" 

"I  knew  you  wouldn't,  sir,  if  you  only  kkew  it; 
but  I'm   afraid  I've  made  a  great  mistake   in  med- 


92  ,  BRAKE    TJF,    OH 

dling  with  a  matter  which  does  not  concern  me. 
Waddie  and  Miss  Minnie  would  hate  me  if  they 
knew  I  had  said   anything   to  you." 

"  They  shall  not  know  it.  No  one  shall  know 
that  you  have   even  seen  me  to-day." 

"They  shall  not  know  it  from  me,"  replied  Nick, 
significantly. 

"I  won't  have  it!"  repeated  the  colonel,  musing 
upon  the  suspected  relations  between  Tommy  and 
his  daughter,  as  he  picked  up  the  reins  and  start- 
ed his  horse. 

"  There'll  be  music  over  there  this  afternoon,"  mut- 
tered Nick,  as  he  walked  towards  the  house  where  he 
expected  to  obtain  help  in  getting  the  Raven  afloat. 

Colonel  Wimpleton  drove  a  short  distance,  and 
then  stopped.  Drawing  a  flask  from  his  breast  pocket, 
he  drank  another  dram.  He  had  been  to  Ruoara 
to  call  upon  a  friend,  with  whom  he  had  drank 
several  times,  and  who  had  presented  him  this  flask 
of  brandy,  because  the  colonel  had  praised  it  as  a 
very  superior  article.  His  runaway  horse  had  neu- 
tralized the  effects  of  what  he  had  taken  in  Ruoara; 
but  the  news  given  him  by  Nick  had   excited  him, 


THE   YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  93 

and  under  any  excitement  lie  drank  more  freely  than 
usual.  Before  he  reached  home  he  had  repeated  the 
draught  two  or  three  times.  His  mind  dwelt  heav- 
ily upon  the  perils  which  threatened  his  family. 
Nick  seemed  so  unwilling  to  say  anything,  that  he 
concluded  the  case  was  much  worse  than  he  ha(l 
described  it.  He  was  willing  to  believe  that  TVad> 
die  and  Grace,  Tommy  and  Minnie,  had  met  before, 
and  that  a  double  union  between  the  embittered 
houses  was  impending.  He  must  put  a  stop  to  it 
without  an  hour's  delay.  Wolf  Penniman  was  the 
intimate  friend  of  both  Waddie  and  Tommy;  and 
the  colonel  had  no  difficulty  in  believing  that  he 
was  their  confidant  and  helpmate.  In  his  tipsy  con- 
dition he  hastened  on  board  of  the  Ucayga,  which 
had  just  arrived  from  the  foot  of  the  lake.  "Wolf 
would  know  where  the  culprits  were,  and  should 
go  with   him  to  the  place. 

Nick  reached  the  house,  towards  which  he  had  di- 
rected his  steps,  just  after  twelve  o'clock.  The  "  men 
folks"  had  come  home  to  dinner,  and  the  farmer's 
boys  were  willing  to  help  him. 

"  Did  you  see  anything  of  a  runaway  horse  down 
the  road,  about  an  hour  ago?"   asked  the   farmer. 


94  BRAKE   UP,    OR 

"Yes;  I  saw  a  horse  hitched  to  a  buggy  going 
it  at  a  pretty  lively  gait  towards  Centreport,"  re- 
plied Nick. 

"Do   you   know   what   became    of  it?" 

"The  horse  stopped  on  the  hill  below  here.  I 
suppose  he  got  tired  of  running,"  answered  Nick, 
cautiously. 

"Do  you  know   who  it  was?" 

"No;   he  was  a  stranger   to   me." 

"  I  was  so  far  off  I  couldn't  see  very  well ;  but 
it  looked  a  little  like  Colonel  Wimpleton's  team." 

"It  wasn't  the  colonel's  horse.  He  passed  within 
a  short  distance  of  me.  I  know  the  colonel  and  his 
team  very  well.  It  wasn't  he,  I'm  very  sure,"  pro- 
tested Nick,  who  could  lie  a  little  more  easily  than 
he  could  speak   the  truth. 

"I  didn't  know  but  it  might  be  Colonel  Wimple- 
ton.     They  say  he    steams  it  pretty  hard  now." 

"It  wasn't  the  colonel,  I  know;  for  I  saw  the 
man's  face  very  distinctly.  He  was  a  younger  man 
than  the  colonel." 

The  farmer  was  apparently  satisfied,  and  the  two 
young  men   accompanied   Nick   to   the   place   where 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  95 

the  Raven  was  aground.  With  their  friendly  aid 
she  was  soon  floated  in  deep  water,  and  headed  to- 
wards Centreport,  where  she  arrived  just  as  the 
Ucayga  was  leaving  the  wharf  on  her  down  trip. 

[We  are  ready  to  let  Wolf  continue  his  narrative, 
from  the  point  where  we  left  him,  with  Colonel  Wira- 
pleton  lying  on  the  track,  between  the  rails.  The 
choice  brandy  presented  to  him  by  his  friend  in 
Ruoara  had  been  an  evil  spirit  to  him,  not  only  in- 
flaming his  wrath  against  his  son  and  daughter,  but 
depriving  him  of  the  power  to  take  care  of  himself. 
When  the  train  stopped  he  had  got  out  to  ascertain 
the  cause  of  the  delay.  The  cars  started,  but  he  was 
too  tipsy  to  reach  the  steps  in  season  to  get  on  board, 
and  was  left  behind.  He  shouted,  but  no  one  heard 
him.  He  was  vexed,  and  believing  that  brandy  was 
the  best  medicine  for  vexation,  he  took  a  liberal  dose 
of  it  from  the  flask.  His  repeated  libations  had  im- 
paired his  locomotive  powers  to  such  an  extent  that 
he  could  hardly  walk,  and  just  as  the  train  had  backed 
down  to  him,  his  legs  gave  way,  and  he  fell  between 
the  rails.     But  let  Wolf  proceed.] 


BRAKE    UP,    OB 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE    TIPSY    MAGNATE. 


I  "WAS  shocked  and  mortified  to  see  ray  employer 
in  such  a  terrible  state  of  intoxication.  He  had 
been  growing  worse  and  worse  from  the  moment  he 
came  into  the  state-room,  on  board  of  the  Ucayga. 
He  had  narrowly  escaped  being  crushed  beneath  the 
train,  and  my  heart  beat  wildly  as  I  realized  the  peril 
of  his  situation. 

"  What  zye  about,  Wolfz  ? "  said  he,  as  I  hastened 
to  the  assistance  of  the  inebriate.  "  What  'd  zye  go 
off  and  leave  me  here  for  —  dzeh  ?  " 

«  Why  did  you  get  out  of  the  cars,  sir  ? " 

"To  dzee  what's  the  matter." 

"Let  me  help  you,  sir." 

"I  don't  zwant  any  help." 

"Hurry  up,"  said  the  conductor,  from  the  platform 
of  the  rear  car.     The  colonel  tried  to  get  up  alone,  but 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  9.7 

he  could  not.  The  brakeman  and  myself  each  took 
an  arm,  and  lifted  him  up.  With  considerable  diffi- 
culty, we  got  him  into  the  car,  for  he  seemed  to  have 
sense  enough  left  to  know  that  he  was  intoxicated, 
and  was  not  willing  to  be  assisted,  lest  it  should  be 
regarded  as  an  acknowledgment  of  the  fact.  He 
apparently  wished  to  conceal  his  condition,  obvious  as. 
it  was.  We  put  him  in  his  seat,  and  he  tried  to  stiffen 
up  his  relaxed  muscles,  and  appear  like  a  sober  man.. 
If  he  had  not  been  a  pitiable  spectacle,  he  would  have 
been  a  ludicrous  one;  though  many  in  the  car,  who 
had  no  special  interest  in  his  fate,  laughed  at  his  silly 
and  stupid  struggles  to  conceal  his  condition. 

As  talking  was  rather  a  difficult  achievement  for 
him,  he  kept  still  till  the  train  arrived  at  Grass 
Springs.  I  told  him  we  had  reached  our  destination, 
and  he  rose  unsteadily  to  his  feet.  He  insisted  upon 
walking  alone,  and  repulsed  all  my  efforts  to  assist 
him.  By  holding  on  to  the  chains  and  the  railings  on 
the  platform,  he  succeeded  in  getting  out  of  the  car; 
but  it  was  simply  impossible  for  him  to  walk,  and  he 
would  have  fallen  if  I  had  not  taken  his  arm.  I  called 
a  carriage,  and  assisted  him  to  a  seat  in  it.  People 
7 


98  BRAKE   UP,   OB 

stared,  smiled,  and  jeered  at  the  magnate  of  Centre- 
port  in  this  unhappy  condition,  and  I  was  glad  enough 
to  get  him  out  of  sight.  I  told  the  driver  to  convey 
us  to  the  hotel,  where  I  intended  to  take  a  private 
room  for  him,  and  let  him  sleep  off  the  effects  of  his 
debauch,  or,  at  least,  keep  out  of  sight  until  he  was  in 
condition  to  be  seen. 

Of  the  circumstances  which  had  excited  the  indig- 
nation of  Colonel  Wimpleton  I  knew  but  little.  He 
had  somehow  discovered  that  Waddie  and  Grace  were 
together.  I  had  ascertained  that  Tommy  Toppleton 
had  come  down  with  Grace  to  meet  Waddie  on  the 
Horse  Shoe.  They  had  started  after  the  steamer  left 
for  Ucayga,  and  I  had  not  seen  their  departure.  I 
was  to  procure  a  boat,  as  I  understood  the  plan,  and 
convey  the  colonel  to  the  island,  where  he  could  inter- 
Fere  with  the  "  courting "  which  was  alleged  to  be  in 
progress;  but  in  his  present  condition  I  had  no  idea 
of  doing  anything  of  the  kind.  I  seated  myself  in 
the  carriage  with  him. 

"  Now,  where's  —  where's  —  yes  —  where's  Wad- 
die?" said  he,  with  much  difficulty;  for  he  was  so 
tipsy  that  his  tongue  almost  refused  to  perform  its  office. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  99 

"  I  don't  know  where  he  is.  We  will  go  up  to  the 
hotel  and  inquire,"  I  replied. 

"That's  zright  — the  hotel." 

The  driver,  as  I  had  directed  him,  stopped  at  the 
side  door  of  the  house,  on  his  arrival.  The  landlord 
opened  it,  and  I  whispered  to  him  that  I  wanted  a 
private  apartment  for  the  colonel.  With  his  assist- 
ance I  conducted  the  drunken  magnate  to  the  room, 
and  seated  him  on  a  sofa. 

"  Hadn't  you  better  lie  down,  sir  ?  "  I  asked,  when 
the  landlord  had  left  me  alone  with  him. 

"Lie  dzown  !  "  exclaimed  he,  with  a  convulsive  jerk 
of  the  head;  "what  for?" 

"You  don't  seem  to  be  very  well  to-day,"  I  sug- 
gested. 

"No;  not  —  not  very  well.  I've  been  dzick  — 
dzick  all  day  to-day.  I  took  a  little  brandy  for  my  — 
brandy  for  my  stomach's  sake,"  stammered  he. 

"  Perhaps  if  you  lie  down  you  will  feel  better." 

"  I  dzon't  know  —  but  you  are  right,  Wolfz.  I'm 
dzick.  Did  you  dzell  the  folks  —  the  folks  on  the 
dzrain  that  —  I  was  —  that  I  was  —  I  was  dzick  ?  " 

"  No,  sir ;  I  did  not  tell  them  so ;  but  they  could 


100  BRAKE    TIP,    OR 

not  help  seeing  that  something  was  the  matter  with 
you." 

"  I  dz'pose  they  did.  I'll  lie  down,  Wolfz." 
He  sprang  to  his  feet,  and,  with  a  desperate  effort, 
attempted  to  throw  off  his  coat.  He  did  not  succeed, 
but  pitched  over  upon  his  face  on  the  bed.  I  pulled 
his  coat  off,  while  he  lay  in  this  position,  and,  rolling 
him  over,  placed  him  in  as  comfortable  a  posture  as  I 
could.  After  covering  him  with  a  blanket,  I  seated 
myself  on  the  sofa,  to  consider  the  situation.  I  was 
unwilling  to  believe  that  the  great  man  had  ever  been 
in  such  a  deplorable  condition  before.  His  coat  lay 
on  the  chair  where  I  had  thrown  it,  I  could  see  the 
neck  of  the  flask  protruding  from  the  pocket.  I  think 
I  inherited  from  my  mother  a  spite  against  bottles 
used  to  contain  liquor.  By  this  time  the  colonel  was 
asleep,  and  I  took  the  flask  from  the  coat.  It  was 
about  one  third  filled,  and  I  had  no  doubt  the  ine- 
briate had  consumed  the  other  two  thirds.  I  went  to 
the  window,  and  poured  it  out  upon  the  ground.  I 
had  once  performed  a  similar  service  for  my  father, 
and  I  had  no  scruples  in  doing  it  for  the  magnate  of 
Centreport,  as  he  was,  just  then,  by  the  force  of  cir- 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  101 

cumstances,  in  my  care.  Screwing  on  the  stopple  of 
the  flask,  I  restored  it  to  the  pocket  where  I  had 
found  it.  My  patient  could  now  drink  no  more  till  he 
left  the  room. 

He  slept  very  soundly,  snoring  heavily  in  his 
drunken  stupor.  Slumber  was  the  best  thing  in  the 
world  for  him,  and  I  left  him  "  to  fight  it  out  on  this 
tine."  I  decided  to  take  a  boat  and  go  over  to  the 
Horse  Shoe,  to  ascertain  for  my  own  sake,  rather  than 
the  colonel's,  the  nature  of  the  relations  which  had  so 
violently  disturbed  my  employer.  I  had  a  pair  of 
eyes,  and  I  flattered  myself  I  could  tell,  by  his  actions, 
whether  Waddie-had  become  suddenly  interested  in 
Grace.  I  knew  that  he  had  seldom  seen  her,  and  had 
hardly  spoken  to  her  since  the  reconciliation  with  her 
brother.  But  in  such  matters  those  who  are  most 
deeply  concerned  are  often  the  blindest,  and  it  was 
possible  that  my  friend,  and  in  some  sense  my  protege, 
had  unwittingly  stej^ped  between  me  and  my  hopes. 

Colonel  Wimpleton  would  probably  sleep  soundly 
for  a  couple  of  hours,  at  least,  and  I  went  to  the  office 
to  request  the  landlord  to  look  out  for  him  during  my 
absence,  and  especially  not  to  furnish  him  with  any 
more  liquor,  if  he  could  possibly  avoid  it. 


102  BRAKE    UP,    OK 

"I'm  going  over  to  the  Horse  Shoe,"  I  began. 

"Didn't  you  come  down  to  join  the  party  here?"  he 
rfsked,  interrupting  me. 

"What  party?" 

"  Why,  the  young  gentlemen  and  young  ladies." 

"Whom  do  you  mean?" 

"Mr.  Toppleton  and  Mr.  Wimpleton." 

"Are  they  here?"  I  replied. 

"  They  have  been  here  these  two  hours ;  the  ladies 
longer  than  that." 

"Who  are  the  ladies?" 

"Miss  Wimpleton  and  Miss  Toppleton." 

"Is  Miss  Wimpleton  here?"  I  inquired,  gaining  a 
crumb  of  comfort  from  the  suggestion,  for  it  might  be 
Tommy  and  Minnie  whose  progressive  tendencies  had 
excited  the  alarm  of  the  colonel, 

"  Yes,  they  are  both  here.  They  ordered  dinner  for 
six,  but  Tom  Walton  seems  to  be  the  only  other 
person  present." 

"Don't  tell  them  I  am  here,  if  you  please,"  I  added. 
"I  wouldn't  have  Waddie  and  his  sister  see  their 
father  in  his  present  condition  for  anything  in  the 
world." 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  l03 

"I  never  saw  the  colonel  so  bad  before,"  said  the 
landlord,  shaking  his  head. 

"He  will  sleep  it  off,  after  a  while,  I  hope,"  I 
replied.  "  Then  Waddie  and  Tommy  are  not  on  the 
Horse  Shoe?" 

"  No ;  they  were  going  there,  and  met  with  an 
accident." 

""What  was  that?"  I  asked,  with  no  little  anxiety; 
for  I  could  not  forget  that  Grace  was  one  of  the 
party. 

"The  Raven  upset  in  the  squall  this  forenoon,  and 
Miss  Wimpleton  came  pretty  near  getting  drowned." 

"Indeed!     Was  Miss  Toppleton  with  her?" 

"  No ;  she  was  in  the  Belle,  with  her  brother. 
Tommy  Toppleton  jumped  overboard,  and  swam  to 
Miss  Wimpleton's  assistance,  or  it  would  have  been 
all  over  with  her.  Tom  Walton  picked  them  up. 
The  ladies  came  right  over  here,  and  my  wife  and 
daughters  gave  them  some  clothes,  while  they  dried 
and  ironed  their  own." 

"  I  am  glad  they  got  out  of  the  scrape  so  well." 

"They  were  lucky." 

"I  didn't  like  the  looks  of  that  Raven,  when  she 


104  BRAKE   UP,   OR 

came  down  from  Hitaca,"  I  added.  "  She  didn't  look 
as  though  she  knew  how  to  stay  right  side  up." 

"  Tom  Walton  says  the  boat  is  crank,  but  it  was  not 
her  fault.     The  other  fellow  with  "Waddle  — " 

«  Who  was  that  ?  —  Nick  Van  Wolter  ?" 

"Yes,  that's  the  one.  He  put  three  or  four  half 
hitches  in  the  main  sheet,  so  that  Waddie  could  not 
cast  it  off  when  the  squall  came  up.  They  sent  him 
back  with  the  Raven ;  and  I  reckon  they  wanted  to 
get  rid  of  him,"  said  the  landlord,  with  a  sly  twinkle 
in  his  eye. 

"Why  so?" 

"  I  suppose  they  did  not  like  the  looks  of  him,  after 
he  had  caused  the  boat  to  be  capsized,"  laughed  mine 
host.  "But  I  reckon  that  Tommy  Toppleton  is  a 
little  sweet  with  the  Wimpleton  girl,  since  he  helped 
her  out  of  the  water." 

I  did  not  care  to  encourage  the  landlord  in  speaking 
on  this  delicate  topic.  I  confess  I  was  pleased  to 
learn  that  there  was  nothing  as  yet  to  implicate  Wad- 
die  in  the  "courting."  I  could  not  understand  how 
Colonel  Wimpleton  had  obtained  his  hint  of  these 
proceedings.     Possibly  he  had  no  suggestion  of  them, 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  105 

except  the  fact  that  the  party  were  at  the  Springs. 
Waddie  had  sent  Nick  Van  Wolter  home  with  the 
Raven,  but  I  was  confident  she  had  not  arrived  when 
I  left  Centreport.  I  concluded  that  the  colonel's 
suspicions  simply  grew  out  of  his  knowledge  that  his 
son  and  daughter  were  with  the  son  and  daughter  of 
his  great  enemy. 

I  learned  from  the  landlord  that  the  party  were 
then  at  dinner.  I  was  anxious  to  know  more  of  the 
relations  of  the  suspected  lovers;  but  I  was  fully 
determined  to  conceal  from  Waddie  and  his  sister  the 
fact  that  their  father  was  in  the  house.  The  Belle 
was  my  boat,  and  Tom  Walton  had  been  running  her 
on  shares  for  me,  intending  to  purchase  her  as  soon  as 
he  was  able  to  do  so.  He  regarded  himself  as  under 
great  obligations  to  me,  not  only  for  the  use  of  the 
boat,  but  because  I  had  given  him  employment  during 
the  winter  on  board  of  the  steamer.  I  could  confide 
in  him,  and  I  asked  the  landlord  to  inform  him  pri- 
vately that  I  was  in  the  house,  and  wished  to  see  him 
as  soon  as  he  had  finished  his  dinner. 


106  BRAKE   UP,   OR 


CHAPTER  X. 

TOM    WALTON   EXPRESSES    HIS    OPINION. 

I  KNEW  that  the  mention  of  my  name  would 
bring  Torn  Walton  to  me,  for  he  was  one  of  the 
most  devoted  fellows  in  the  world.  He  had  a  habit  of 
remembering  what  a  friend  had  done  for  him,  and  the 
manifestation  of  his  gratitude  was  so  profuse  as  to  be 

rather  embarrassing  to  me,  for  I  did  not  like  to  see 

m 
any  one  so  weighed  down  by  the  burden  of  obligation 

as  he   appeared  to  be.     I  was  in  the  room   adjoining 

that   in  which   I  had  put  the  colonel    to  bed;   for  I 

dared   not  expose   myself  where  it   was  possible   for 

Waddie,  or   any  other  member  of  the  party  except 

Tom,  to  see   me,  when  he  came  to  me. 

"  I  didn't  expect  to  see  you  here,  Wolf,"  said  he,  his 

face   lighted   up   with   the  broad    grin   which    usually 

expressed  his  satisfaction  at  passing  events.     "  Why 

don't  you  come  in  and  take  some  dinner  with  Wadclie 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  107 

and   Tommy?     I  know    they   will  be    glad   to   see 

you." 

"  I  should  be  very  sorry  to  have  them  see  me  just 
now,"  I  replied. 

"  Why,  what's  the  matter  ?  What's  the  row  ?  Has 
anything  broke?"  he  asked,  a  shade  of  anxiety  over- 
spreading his  face, 

"  In  a  word,  Tom,  Colonel  Wimpleton  is  as  drunk 
as  a  beast,  in  the  next  room." 

"  Whew ! "  said,  or  rather  whistled,  Tom,  his  eyes 
opening  till  they  looked  like  a  couple  of  saucers. 

"Yes;  and  he  came  within  about  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  of  being  run  over  and  smashed  by  the  train  that 
brought  us  down." 

"You  don't  say  so  !"  exclaimed  Tom,  with  genuine 
feeling. 

"  That's  so.  I  wouldn't  have  Waddie  or  Miss  Min- 
nie see  him  now  for  all  the  money  that  he  is  worth." 

"  But  I  didn't  know  the  colonel  got  so  bad.  I  have 
heard  people  say  he  drank  till  he  was  about  how-came- 
you-so:  I  never  knew  he  got  right  down  boozy." 

"  I  never  saw  him  so  bad  before,"  I  replied ;  "  and 
I  hope  I  never  shall  again.     It's  really  horrible," 


108  BRAKE    UP,   OR 

"  What  are  you  doing  down  here  with  him,  if  he  is 
so  much  over  the  bay  ?  " 

"  He  was  not  so  bad  when  we  started.  He  has 
been  nursing  on  brandy  ever  since  we  left  Centreport, 
and  now  he  don't  know  himself  from  a  bar  of  yellow 
soap.  He  is  asleep,  and  I  hope  he  will  come  out  of  it 
all  right.  I  have  emptied  the  contents  of  his  bottle 
out  the  window." 

"  Good  for  you,  Wolf! "  said  Tom,  with  an  expres- 
sive grin. 

I  then  told  him  all  that  had  passed  between  the 
colonel  and  myself  since  he  came  into  my  state-room, 
on  board  of  the  steamer,  dwelling  particularly  on  the 
suspicions  which  had  induced  the  magnate  to  visit 
Grass  Springs.  Tom  smiled,  significantly  as  I  pro- 
ceeded, and  I  judged  from  his  expression  that  he 
understood  the  case  perfectly. 

"  Now,  Tom,  what  does  all  this  mean  ? "  I  asked, 
when  I  had  finished  the  narrative. 

"Well,  I  reckon  the  colonel  is  considerable  more 
than  half  right,"  replied  the  skipper  of  the  Belle, 
candidly. 

"  You  really  think  that  Waddie  and  Miss  Grace  are 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  109 

interested  in  each  other,"  I  added,  squarely,  deter- 
mined to  know  the  worst,  so  far  as  I  was  personally 
concerned,  at  once. 

"  O,  no  !  no  !  no  !  "  protested  Tom,  vehemently,  as 
his  chin  dropped  down;  "I  don't  mean  anything  of 
that  sort." 

He  was  much  disturbed  to  think  he  had  conveyed 
to  me  a  wrong  impression  on  a  subject  that  so  deeply 
affected  me. 

"What  is  it,  then?" 

"  It's  Tommy  Toppleton  and  Miss  Minnie  ;  "  and  he 
proceeded  to  relate  to  me  the  particulars  of  the  upset- 
ting of  the  Raven,  and  of  the  gallant  deed  of  Tommy. 

"There  wasn't  the  least  need  of  jumping  overboard; 
but  Miss  Minnie  thinks  her  life  was  saved  by  it,  and 
she  is  as  grateful  as  though  she  had  been  pulled  out 
of  a  burning  fieryfurnace.  It's  none  of  my  business  ; 
so  I  don't  say  anything  to  her  about  it.  I  think  she 
likes  him,  and  he  likes  her.  Between  you  and  me, 
Wolf,  she  isn't  a  bad  looking  girl,  and  I  don't  blame 
Tommy." 

"But  he  has  hardly  ever  met  her  before  to-day," 
I  suggested. 


110  BEAKE    UP,    OR 

"I  don't  care  anything  about  that.  Of  course, 
they  don't  say  anything,  but  I  can  tell  by  their 
looks  which  way  the  wind  blows.  I'll  bet  the  big- 
gest fish  in  the  deepest  water  off  Priam  that  some- 
thing will  come   of  it." 

"I  don't  exactly  understand  how  I  took  the  idea 
from  the  colonel  that  it  was  Grace  and  Waddie  who 
were  getting  things  mixed,"  I  added,  laughing,  to  as- 
sure Tom  that  I   had  no  feeling  about  the  matter. 

"O,  no!  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  protested  the  skipper, 
earnestly,  shaking  his  head  to  emphasize  his  words. 
"Waddie  behaves  like  a  gentleman,  of  course;  but, 
between  us,  he  knows  better  than  to  look  sidewise 
at  Miss  Grace." 

"  Why  shouldn't  he,  if  he  is  disposed  to  do  so  ? " 

"  I  reckon  he  knows  a  mill-stone  from  a  hogshead 
of  molasses,"  replied  Tom,  with  his  usual  significant 
grin.  "  In  the  first  place,  he  thinks  too  much  of 
you  to, try  to  go  to  sea  in  your  boat." 

"My  boat?" 

"O,  come,  Wolf!  What's  the  use  of  beating  to 
windward  when  you  have  a  fair  breeze?  You  be- 
lieve in  Miss  Grace,  and  she  thinks  a  heap  of  you." 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  Ill 

"We  are  very  good  friends;  but  she  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  a  wealthy  man,  while  I  am  the  son  of  a 
mechanic"  I  replied,  rather  gloomily. 

"I  don't  care  for  that,"  said  Tom,  with  a  show 
of  indignation  at  the  vain  distinctions  of  this  world. 
"It  will  come  out  all   right." 

"I-  don't  know,"  I  answered,  not  caring  to  discuss 
the  subject  at  any  greater  length ;  "  Colonel  Wim- 
pleton  is  very  much  disturbed  about  the  courting, 
as  he  calls  it." 

"How  should  he  know  anything  about  it?"  de- 
manded Tom,  suddenly,  as  he  recalled  the  circum* 
stances  of  the   day. 

"I   don't   know." 

"Did   that  Nick  Van  Wolter  tell  him?" 

"No;  he  had  not  returned  with  the  Raven  when 
we   left    Centreport." 

"If  he  did,  I  should  be  willing  to  break  his  head 
on  my  own  account." 

"I  think  the  colonel  ascertained  that  the  girls 
had  come  down  with  the  boys,  and  imagined  all 
the  rest,"  I  suggested,  giving  the  explanation  which 
I  had  myself  adopted. 


112  BRAKE    UP,    OE 

,     "Well,  he  imagined  it  about  right,  then,"  said  Tom. 

"  I  am  not  sorry  it  is  as  you  say ;  but  I  am 
afraid  the  affair  will  make  a  good  deal  of  trouble. 
When  are  you  going  back?" 

"Whenever  my  party   says  the  word." 

"Can't  you  hurry  them  up?"  I  inquired,  anx- 
iously; for  I  did  not  like  to  have  Waddie  and  his 
sister  in  the  house  with  their  father,  under  the 
present  circumstances. 

"I  don't  know  but  I  can.  They  were  going  to 
the  Horse  Shoe  this  afternoon,"  answered  Tom.  "I 
have  been  looking  for  another  shower  to-day,  for 
'thunder  in  the  morning  bids  the  sailor  take  warn- 
ing."' 

There  were  as  yet  no  signs  of  another  shower, 
and  the  skipper  left  me  to  ascertain  whether  his 
party  intended  to  visit  the  Horse  Shoe  or  not.  I 
carefully  opened  the  door,  and  entered  the  colonel's 
room.  He  was  still  sleeping  in  the  stupor  of  intox- 
ication, and  I  left  him.  I  wished  to  be  at  Cen- 
treport  in  season  to  take  the  steamer  at  half  past 
five,  but  I  was  afraid  my  patient  would  not  be  in 
a    condition    to    go    home    by  the    last    train.     Tom 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  113 

soon  returned  to  me  with  the  intelligence  that  his 
party  would  start  in  half  an  hour  for  the  Horse 
Shoe.  I  did  not  feel  easy  until  I  was  assured  by 
the  landlord  that  they  had  actually  embarked  on  the 
Belle. 

Perhaps  it  was  useless  for  me  to  attempt  to  con- 
ceal the  father's  infirmity  from  the  children ;  but  I 
believed  that  the  colonel's  present  excess  was  ex- 
ceptional, and  I  hoped  he  would  not  again  indulge 
so  deeply.  I  could  not  endure  the  thought  of  wit- 
nessing the  shame  and  mortification  of  Waddi'e  and 
Minnie,  if  compelled  to  encounter  their  father  in  his 
intoxication.  While  I  was  considering  this  unpleas- 
ant subject,  I  heard  my  patient  in  the  next  room,  the 
door  of  which  I  had  left  open,  get  out  of  the  bed. 
I  hastened  into  the  apartment.  The  colonel  stood 
holding  on  at  the  bed-post,  and  looked  confused 
and  lost.  He  glanced  at  me  with  a  stare,  and  then 
a  maudlin  smile  came  upon  his  lips,  as  though  the 
events  of  the  day  had  suddenly  flashed  upon  his 
mind,  and  he  remembered  where  he  was. 

"I  feel  a  little  better  of  that  pain,  Wolf,"  said 
he;   "but  I  haven't   got   quite   over  it." 


114  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"I  am  glad   you  feel  better,  sir,"  I  replied. 

"I'm  better,  but  I  am  not  well,"  he  continued, 
grasping  his  coat,  which  I  had  hung  on  the  bed-post. 

He  wanted  his  flask  again.  He  had  partially  re- 
covered from  the  effect  of  former  drams,  but  he 
was  not  satisfied.  He  took  the  bottle  from  his 
pocket.  Of  course  he  would  discover  that  it  was 
empty.  I  hoped  that  his  memory  would  not  serve 
him  in  regard  to  the  condition  of  the  flask  when 
he  last  drank  from  it,  for  I  was  afraid  he  would 
suspect  my  agency  in  emptying  it.  With  some  dif- 
ficulty he  unscrewed  the  stopple,  and  took  a  tum- 
bler from  the  wash-stand.  He  turned  the  bottle  un- 
til it  was  inverted  over  the  glass,  but  not  a  drop 
came  forth.  His  hands  trembled,  and  his  frame 
quivered.  Lowering  the  flask  from  the  glass,  he 
gazed  as  steadily  at  me  as  his  «haky  condition  would 
permit.     He   was  angry,   and  I  dreaded   his  wrath. 

"  Wolf,  I  left  this  flask  half  full  of  brandy,"  said  he, 
fixing  a  stern  gaze  upon  me.  "  It  was  very  choice 
brandy,  which  my  friend  in  Rnoara  gave  me  for 
sickness." 

He  paused,  and  continued  to  stare  at  me,  with  a 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  115 

savage  frown  on  his  brow.  It  was  useless  for  me  to 
say  anything,  and  I  did  not  speak. 

"  For  sickness,  Wolf,"  repeated  he.  "  I  told  you  I 
was  sick,  and  I  take  brandy  for  it." 

He  stopped  again,  but  I  made  no  reply. 

"Did  you  empty  this  flask,  Wolf?"  demanded  he, 
sternly. 

"  I  did,  sir,"  I  answered,  as  gently  as  I  could  speak. 

"You  did!"  roared  he. 

"Yes,  sir;  I  did." 

He  dropped  into  a  chair,  though  he  did  not  for  an 
instant  remove  his  gaze  from  me.  I  had  no  difficulty 
in  coming  to  the  conclusion  that  I  had  got  into  a  bad 
scrape ;  but  I  had  acted  for  the  best. 

"You  impudent  puppy!"  said  he,  grinding  his  teeth. 

I  was  silent  and  motionless. 

"Are  you  my  guardian?" 

u  I  have  tried  to  take  care  of  you,  sir." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  that?"  he  continued,  after 
thinking  a  moment,  probably  to  determiae  the  mean- 
ing of  my  words. 

I  think  he  had  sense  enough  to  understand  his  own 
condition,  though   doubtless  he  did   not   realize  how 


116  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

helpless  he  had  been.  The  fact  that  I  had  emptied  his 
flask  assured  him  that  I  understood  his  situation  per- 
fectly. He  knew  I  had  helped  him  into  the  bed. 
It  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  he  was  ashamed  of 
himself,  even  after  be  had  put  in  the  plea  of  sickness. 
But  for  the  magnate  of  Centreport  to  be  thus  humili- 
ated before  one  whom  he  regarded  as  a  dependant 
appeared  to  be  more  than  he  could  endure,  and  the 
thought  stirred  his  ire. 

"  I  have  done  what  I  could  for  you,  sir,"  I  replied, 
evasively. 

"What  did  you  throw  away  my  brandy  —  my 
medicine  —  for  ?  " 

"  Because  I  thought  you  had  taken  enough,  sir,"  I 
answered,  finding  that  it  was  useless  for  me  to  attempt 
to  dodge  the  issue. 

"You  did!" 

"Yes,  sir.  You  were  very  much  intoxicated,"  I 
continued,  mildly,  but  firmly. 

He  sprang  to  his  feet  with  a  celerity  of  which  I  had 
not  believed  him  capable;  and  I  began  to  think  it 
would  be  necessary  for  me  to  run  for  life.  He  halted 
before  me  an  instant,  and  then  rushed  out  of  the  room. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  117 


CHAPTER  XI. 


A    GENEROUS    TIPPLER. 


WAS  not  anxious  to  quarrel  with  Colonel  Wim- 
pleton,  for  he  carried  too  many  guns  for  me;  but 
I  followed  him  out  of  the  apartment,  keeping  at  a 
respectful  distance  behind  him.  He  went  into  the 
bar-room,  and  called  for  brandy.  The  landlord,  who 
was  behind  the  counter,  pretended  not  to  understand 
him,  and  began  to  speak  of  something  else. 

"  Brandy ! "  repeated  the  great  man,  in  a  loud  and 
imperative  tone. 

It  was  folly  to  attempt  to  refuse  him,  and  the  land- 
lord promptly  placed  the  fire-water  before  his  savage 
guest.  The  colonel  poured  out  and  swallowed  a  large 
potion  of  the  fiery  fluid.  Throwing  down  the  pay- 
ment for  the  dram  with  a  lordly  air,  he  turned  and 
departed  from  the  room.  I  stepped  out  of  his  way  as 
he  approached,  concluding  that  my  mission  was  fin- 
ished.    I  decided  to  take  the  dummy  back  to  Middle- 


118  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

port.  The  colonel  returned  to  his  chamber,  while  I 
moved  towards  the  outside  door.  I  did  not  wish  to 
have  a  scene  with  him.  I  had,  with  what  now  seemed 
to  me  unparalleled  audacity,  told  him  he  was  drunk. 
I  expected  to  be  discharged  from  my  position  as  cap- 
tain of  the  steamer,  and  to  be  annihilated  at  once. 

"  Wolf! "  shouted  he  from  his  room. 

I  was  not  absolutely  afraid  of  him,  though  I  dreaded 
his  violence.  I  went  to  the  door  of  his  apartment, 
and  entered.  He  sat  on  the  bed,  and  looked  up  at  me. 
He  did  not  appear  to  be  as  savage  as  before.  The 
heavy  dram  he  had  just  taken  was  beginning  to  have 
its  effect,  and  his  expression  was  rather  maudlin  and 
silly  than  stern. 

"  If  you  have  no  further  occasion  for  me,  I  think  I 
will  return  to  Middleport  by  the  dummy." 

"Don't  go.  I  want  you,"  said  he.  "You  said  I 
was  drunk." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  I  did  say  so ;  but  only  to  explain  what  I 
had  done." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  I  was  drunk,  Wolf?" 

"Yes,  sir;  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,"  I  replied,  with  a 
candor  which  astonished  myself. 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  119 

Jf  You  are  the  first  person  that  ever  told  me  I  was 
drunk." 

"  I  hope  it  will  be  the  last  time  any  one  will  have 
occasion  to  say  so,  sir." 

"  Don't  preach  to  me,  Wolf.  You  are  a  very  proper 
young  man,  but  I  never  let  any  one  preach  to  me. 
You  say  I  was  drunk." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  and  you  are  drunk  now." 

"Now?"  he  repeated,  with  a  silly  laugh. 

"Yes,  sir.  You  fell  down  between  the  rails  this 
afternoon,  and  the  train  came  very  near  backing  over 
you.  When  you  arrived  here  you  couldn't  possibly 
stand  up,"  I  answered,  as  honestly  as  though  I  had 
been  his  social  equal. 

I  was  amazed  at  my  own  temerity;  but  I  had 
already  incurred  his  displeasure,  and  with  the  possi- 
bility of  opening  his  eyes  to  the  scandal  of  his  beastly 
conduct,  I  made  up  my  mind  that  I  might  as  well  be 
hanged  for  an  old  sheep  as  a  lamb,  and  that  it  should 
not  be  my  fault  if  he  did  not  thoroughly  comprehend 
his  disgraceful  situation. 

"  What  has  become  of  Waddie  and  that  girl  ?  "  he 
inquired. 


120  BRAKE   UP,   OR 

"What  girl?" 

"Why,  the  Toppleton  girl." 

"  They  have  gone  to  the  Horse  Shoe,  sir ;  but  they 
were  in  the  house  when  you  arrived." 

"  Were  they  ?     Why  didn't  you  tell  me  of  it  ?  " 

"  I  would  not  have  had  them  see  you  as  you  were 
then  for  all  you  are  worth." 

He  pursed  up  his  lips,  as  he  had  a  habit  of  doing 
when  he  was  vexed  or  chagrined,  and  gazed  upon  the 
floor. 

"  You  think  I  was  drunk  —  do  you,  Wolf?  " 

"  I  know  you  were,  sir ;  and  I  took  you  into  this 
room,  and  put  you  to  bed.  I  kept  you  out  of  sight  of 
Waddie  and  Miss  Minnie,  and  told  the  landlord  not  to 
tell  any  one  you  were  here,"  I  continued,  with  con- 
siderable spirit. 

"Did  you  say  you  thought  I  was  drunk,  Wolf?" 
repeated  he  again. 

"  I  am  entirely  satisfied  that  you  were  —  beastly 
drunk,"  I  answered,  resolved,  if  there  was  any  sense 
at  all  in  him,  that  he  should  not  misunderstand  me. 

"  Wolf,  bring  me  a  pen  and  ink,"  he  added,  after 
gazing  at  the  floor  a  while. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  121 

"  Don't  you  think  you  had  better  lie  down  and  take 
another  nap,  sir?" 

"Bring  me  a  pen  and  ink,  I  say." 

"  I  think  you  had  better  lie  down." 

"Will  you  bring  me  a  pen  and  ink,  or  shall  I  go 
myself  for  them  ? "  said  he,  sharply. 

I  did  not  think  he  could  use  a  pen  if  I  brought  one, 
and  I  could  not  imagine  what  he  wished  to  write.  I 
had  no  success  in  evading  his  requests,  and  I  went  to 
the  office  for  pen  and  ink.  I  placed  the  articles  upon 
the  table,  and  wondered  what  was  to  be  clone.  The 
colonel  rose  from  his  seat  on  the  bed,  and  bracing  up 
his  nerves,  walked  tolerably  straight  across  the  floor, 
seating  himself  at  the  table. 

"Don't  you  want  some  paper,  sir?" 

"  No ;  bring  me  my  coat,"  he  replied. 

I  handed  him  the  garment,  and  he  took  from  one 
of  the  pockets  of  it  a  small,  narrow  book,  which  he 
opened  upon  the  table.  I  was  in  hopes  he  intended 
to  write  a  temperance  pledge,  or  something  of  that 
sort.  He  dipped  the  pen  in  the  ink,  and,  with  a  con- 
vulsive effort,  began  to  write.  I  saw  that  the  little 
volume  before   him   was   a  pocket    check-book.    He 


122  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

wrote  what  I  supposed  to  be  the  date,  for  I  was  not 
impolite  enough  to  look  over  his  shoulder. 

"  Wolf,  do  you  say,  upon  your  honor,  that  you 
thought  I  was  drunk?"  said  he,  turning  around,  and 
looking  me  full  in  the  face,  as  though  there  was  still  a 
doubt  upon  the  point. 

"I  know  you  were,  sir;  but  if  you  think  I  am 
mistaken,  I  will  call  the  landlord." 

"  Did  he  see  me,  too  ?  " 

"  He  couldn't  well  help  seeing  you." 

"It's  a  mistake,  Wolf.  I  never  was  drunk  in  my 
life,"  muttered  he,  in  a  lower  tone,  as  he  wrote  in  the 
check-book. 

I  could  form  no  very  accurate  idea  of  the  current  of 
thought  which  was  passing  in  his  mind.  The  fury  of 
his  wrath  had  suddenly  abated,  though  I  had  told  him 
the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth.  I  could 
not  imagine  for  what  purpose  he  was  drawing  a  check, 
unless  it  was  to  pay  my  wages,  and  discharge  me  from 
his  service.  He  wrote  very  rapidly,  and  by  jerks, 
apparently  taking  advantage  of  momentary  periods, 
when  his  nerves  were  more  quiet.  He  finished  the 
writing,  after  he  had  regularly  made  the  memoranda 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  123 

m  the  margin  to  indicate  the  amount  and  the  payee 
of  the  check.  It  was  marvellous  to  me  that  he  could 
write  at  all,  and  especially  so  that  he  was  able  to  go 
through  all  the  business  forms  so  correctly.  He  tore 
the  check  from  the  book,  and  with  a  very  peculiar 
smile  on  his  face,  thrust  it  out  at  arm's  length 
towards  me. 

"  Take  that,  Wolf,"  said  he,  the  drunken  leer  on  his 
face  becoming  more  intense. 

"  What  is  it,  sir  ?  " 

"Take  it." 

I  obeyed  him.  It  was  a  check  for  ten  thousand 
dollars,  payable  to  Wolf  Penniman  or  bearer.  I  was 
astonished  and  bewildered. 

"What  is  this  for,  sir?"  I  inquired. 

"You  can  draw  the  money  at  the  Centreport 
Bank,"  he  replied. 

"I  do  not  understand  you,  Colonel  Wimpleton." 

"  I  make  you  a  present  of  ten  thousand  dollars, 
Wolf;  can't  you  understand  that?"  said  he,  the  leer 
on  his  face  deepening  to  a  laugh. 

"What  is  it  for,  sir?" 

"  That's  what  I  owe  you,  Wolf." 


124  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

«I  think  not." 

"  O,  I  do,"  protested  he,  vehemently ;  "  you  saved 
my  life  once,  but  I  never  gave  you  a  dollar  for  it." 

"  But  you  gave  me  the  command  of  the  steamer, 
sir." 

"No  matter  for  that.  You  beat  the  Lake  Shore 
Line  in  her,  and  put  twice  that  sum  of  money  into  my 
pocket  by  it.  The  money  is  yours,  Wolf.  Now  don't 
say  another  word  about  it." 

What  was  the  magnate  thinking  about?  What 
had  given  him  this  sudden  fit  of  generosity  ?  A  few 
moments  before,  he  had  been  angry  with  me ;  now  he 
had  gone  to  the  other  extreme.  But  the  man  was 
intoxicated.  I  did  not  regard  the  check  as  mine,  for 
it  was  the  gift  of  a  man  not  in  his  right  mind.  It  was 
a  princely  sum  for  a  young  person  in  my  situation ; 
but  the  thought  that  the  money  would  ever  come 
into  my  possession  did  not  occur  to  me. 

"  Now,  Wolf,  you  are  my  friend,"  said  he.  "  If  you 
think  I'm  drunk,  a  friend  must  bear  a  friend's  infirmi- 
ties—  humor  them,  and  try  to  hide  them.  Do  you 
understand  me,  Wolf?" 

"  Is  this  the  price  of  my  silence  in  regard  to  the 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  125 

events  of  to-day?"  I  asked,  beginning  to  think  that 
this  was  the  solution  of  his  extraordinary  generosity. 

"No,  no;  by  no  means!"  protested  he.  "It's  only 
just  what  I  ought  to  do  for  all  you  have  done  for  me, 
and  for  Wad  die." 

"  But  I  cannot  take  this,  sir.  Your  secret,  so  far  as 
it  is  a  secret,  is  safe  in  my  keeping.  I  have  prevented 
you  from  being  seen  by  Waddie  and  Minnie." 

"  I  say,  Wolf,  you  shall  keep  it,"  he  replied,  with  an 
oath,  as  he  brought  his  fist  down  upon  the  table  with 
such  force  as  to  make  the  ink  fly  from  the  inkstand. 

It  was  useless  to  contend,  and  I  did  not  attempt  to 
oppose  him. 

"I  would  rather  have  your  name  to  another  paper 
than  to  this  one,"  I  replied,  rather  jocosely,  as  I  laid 
the  check  upon  the  table,  and  pointed  to  it  with  my 
finger. 

"What's  that,  Wolf?"  he  demanded-,  with  excited 
interest.     "  Bring  the  paper.     Let  me  see  it." 

I  took  the  blank  sheet  of  a  letter  from  my  pocket, 
and  wrote  as  follows :  "  I  promise,  on  the  honor  of  a 
man  and  a  gentleman,  to  abstain  entirely  from  the  use 
of  intoxicating   drinks,  unless  prescribed  by  a  physi- 


126  BRAKE   UP,   OR 

cian."  I  pushed  the  paper  across  the  table  to  him. 
Adjusting  his  eye-glass,  he  read  it. 

"  I  would  rather  have  your  name  to  that  paper  than 
to  this,"  I  repeated,  pointing  to  the  check,  and  pushing 
it  towards  him. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  insult  me,  Wolf?  "  demanded  he, 
sternly. 

"  By  no  means,  sir,"  I  replied,  fearful  that  I  had 
gone  too  far.     "I  mean  exactly  what  I  say." 

Taking  the  paper  from  the  table,  he  indignantly  tore 
it  into  very  small  pieces,  and  then,  rushing  to  the  win- 
dow, threw  them  out. 

"  I  am  not  an  idiot !  I  am  not  a  child  ! "  protested 
he.     "  I  know  what  I  am  about,  you  see." 

"  I  did  not  mean  to  offend  you,  sir." 

"You  have  the  check.  We  will  change  the  sub- 
ject," he  added,  with  an  attempt  to  put  on  his  dignity. 
"I  am  not  offended.     Now,  where  is  Waddie?" 

"  On  the  Horse  Shoe,  I  suppose,  unless  he  has  left 
for  home." 

"  Is  the  Toppleton  girl  with  him  ? " 

"  I  believe  she  is." 

"Courting!"  sneered  he.  "I  won't  have  it!  No, 
I  won't!" 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  127 

"  I  assure  you,  sir,  that  you  are  entirely  mistaken. 
I  have  seen  Tom  Walton,  who  has  been  with  them  all 
day,  and  he  says  Waddie  behaves  like  a  gentleman  to 
Miss  Toppleton,  and  nothing  more." 

"But  they  are  together." 

"  You  have  nothing  to  fear  from  Waddie,  if  they 
are." 

"I  am  going  over  to  the  Horse  Shoe,  Wolf.  I'm 
going  to  stop  this  thing  before  it  goes  any  farther," 
said  he,  rising,  and  putting  on  his  coat. 

"  I  hope  you  will  not,  sir,"  I  interposed. 

«I  will." 

"  I  cannot  keep  your  secret,  if  you  expose  yourself." 

"  I  am  as  regular  as  you  are,  Wolf; "  and  he  went 
out  of  the  room  by  the  door  opening  into  the  entry. 

I  followed  him,  determined  that  he  should  not  go  to 
the  Horse  Shoe,  if  I  could  possibly  prevent  him  from 
doing  so. 


128  BRAKE    UP,   OR 


CHAPTER  XII. 


ANOTHER   CALAMITY. 


IT  was  not  easy  to  prevent  a  man  like  Colonel 
Wimpleton  from  having  his  own  way.  He  was 
not  nearly  so  bad  as  he  had  been  before  he  went  to 
bed ;  but  he  was  still  in  no  condition  to  exhibit  him- 
self to  his  son  and  daughter.  He  went  to  the  landlord 
and  paid  the  bill.  He  then  produced  his  flask,  and 
demanded  that  it  should  be  filled.  The  hotel-keeper 
demurred,  and  did  not  sell  liquor  except  by  the  glass ; 
but  the  colonel  began  to  storm  and  swear,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  comply. 

Just  then  I  happened  to  think  that  I  had  left  the 
check  the  colonel  had  given  me  on  the  table,  in  the 
room  he  had  occupied,  and  I  hastened  to  get  it;  for, 
though  I  did  not  mean  to  use  it  myself,  I  did  not 
intend  that  any  one  else  should  do  so.  It  was  not 
where  I  had  left  it,  or  where  I  supposed  I  had  left  it. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  129 

It  was  not  on  the  table,  and  it  was  not  on  the  floor. 
In  a  word,  I  could  not  find  it,  though  I  made  a  dili- 
gent search  in  every  part  of  the  room,  thinking  the 
wind  might  have  blown  it  from  the  table.  The  door 
of  the  adjoining  room,  where  I  had  remained  a  por- 
tion of  the  time,  was  open,  and  I  passed  through  this 
apartment  into  the  entry. 

I  searched  my  pockets,  thinking  I  might  possibly 
have  deposited  it  in  one  of  them,  while  I  was  talking 
with  the  colonel.  The  last  time  I  remembered  to- 
have  noticed  it,  was  when  I  pointed  to  it,  after  the 
tipsy  great  man  had  read  the  paper  I  wrote.  Then 
the  conversation  became  rather  exciting  to  me,  and  I 
walked  across  the  room  several  times.  It  was  possible 
that  the  colonel  had  torn  up  both  the  check  and  the 
pledge  at  the  same  time. 

"  Where  are  you,  Wolf?  I'm  looking  for  you,"  said 
the  colonel,  appearing  at  the  entry  door. 

"Did  you  tear  up  the  check  you  wrote,  sir?" 

"  The  check  ? "  repeated  he,  evidently  trying  to 
stimulate  his  memory. 

"  You  wrote  a  check  for  ten  thousand  dollars  in  my 
favor,  and  handed  it  to  me." 
9 


130  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"Yes,  of  course;  I  know  that," 'replied  he,  impa- 
tiently, as  though  my  statement  implied  that  he  had 
not  known  what  he  was  about  when  he  did  the 
generous  act.  "  I  was  trying  to  think  whether  I  tore 
it  up  with  the  other  paper.  I  didn't  mean  to  tear  it 
up ;    and  if  I  did,  I  will  give  you  another." 

"  I  cannot  find  it  anywhere,"  I  added. 

"Then,  of  course,  I  destroyed  it  with  the  other 
paper.  I  will  give  you  another  just  like  it,"  said  he, 
dropping  into  the  chair  before  the  table. 

"I  would  not  write  another  now,  sir,"  I  inter- 
posed. "Perhaps  I  may  find  the  other,  or  at  least 
the  pieces  of  it,  if  you  tore  it  up." 

I  did  not  regard  the  check  as  of  any  consequence 
to  me,  under  the  circumstances;  but  it  was  possible, 
if  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  some  other  person,  that 
an  improper  use  might  be  made  of  it ;  and  for  this 
reason  only  was  I  anxious  to  ascertain  what  had 
become  of  it.  I  left  the  colonel  sitting  at  the  table, 
and  went  out  doors  to  see  if  I  could  find  any  of  the 
pieces  of  the  check.  The  window,  from  which  he 
had  thrown  the  fragments  of  paper,  opened  into  an 
alley  between  the  hotel  and  the  adjoining  building, 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  131 

through  which  the  wind  blew  quite  sharply.  I 
could  not  find  even  a  single  piece  of  either  paper ; 
but  I  continued  the  search  at  the  leeward  of  the 
hotel.  I  found  two  or  three  pieces  of  the  paper  I 
had  written,  on  the  railroad ;  but  the  rest  of  them 
had  probably  gone  into  the  lake.  I  was  no  wiser 
than  before;  but  I  was  forced  to  conclude  that,  as  I 
could  not  find  the  check,  the  colonel  must  have  de- 
stroyed it  with  the  other  paper.  Both  of  them  had 
lain  on  the  table,  within  his  reach,  for  I  remembered 
that  I  had  pushed  the  check  towards  him,  when  I 
told  him  I  would  rather  have  his  name  on  the  pledge 
I  had  written.  If  the  valuable  little  paper  was  de- 
stroyed, it  was  all  right,  and  I  need  trouble  myself 
no  more  about  it. 

"Hallo,    Wolf." 

I  turned.     It  was  Nick  Van  Wolter. 

"  How  are  you,  Nick  ?  "  I  replied. 

«  What  are  you  looking  for,  Wolf? " 

I  did  not  deem  it  necessary  to  inform  him  what  I 
was  looking  for;  so  I  did  not  give  him  a  direct 
answer. 

*  Where  is  the  colonel  ?  I  heard  he  was  on  a 
regular  bat!"  asked  Nick,  with  a  coarse  grin. 


132  BEAKE   UP,    OE 

"  He  is  at  the  hotel." 

"  The  landlord  told  me  he  was  there,"  continued 
Nick.  "  You  see,  I  was  mixed  up  in  this  business 
clown  here  tnis  morning.  After  the  Raven  upset, 
Waddie  sent  me  home  in  her.  I  got  to  Centreport 
just  as  the  steamer  was  going  out,  and  I  wrent  on 
board  of  her,  and  came  down  as  far  as  Ruoara.  My 
father  told  me  that  the  colonel  was  on  a  regular 
bat,"  —  by  which  I  understood  him  to  mean  a  spree. 
"He  said  you  had  crossed  the  lake  with  him,  and 
that" something  was  said  about  going  to  Grass  Springs. 
I  was  a  little  curious  to  know  what  was  going  on, 
as  I  was  with  the  party  this  morning." 

I  could  not  exactly  see  why  Nick  had  volunteered 
this  explanation. 

"Did  you  think  the  colonel  was  after  the  party?" 
I  inquired. 

"  From  wdiat  my  father   said,  I  supposed  he  was." 

Then  the  mate  had  understood  Colonel  Wimple- 
ton  much  better  than  I  could,  before  we  left  the 
Ucayga,  which  seemed  a  little  odd  to  me. 

"What  did  your  father  say?"  I   asked. 

"He   said   the  colonel   was  on  a  regular  bat,  and 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  133 

that  be  was  mad.  I  knew  the  fellows  and  girls 
went  off  together,  and  I  concluded  the  colonel  had 
found  it  out,  and  that  was  what  made  him  mad.  1 
didn't  want  to  have  Waddie  get  into  any  scrape  with 
his  father  when  he  was  a  little  over  the  bay;  for  you 
know  the  colonel  isn't  exactly  a  saint  when  he  is  all 
right,  and  I  suppose  he  isn't  any  better  when  he  is 
tight.  So  I  took  a  boat  at  Ruoara,  and  sailed  over 
this  way.  I  saw  the  party  on  the  island,  though  I 
didn't  go  very  near  it,  for  I  didn't  want  them  to  see 
me,  unless  it  was  necessary.  I  saw  the  colonel  was 
not  there ;  so  I  came  over  here,  and  found  he  was 
at  the  hotel.  I  thought,  if  there  was  any  danger  of 
his  going  over  to  the  Horse  Shoe,  I  would  see  Wad- 
die  in  season  to  tip  him  the  wink.  You  understand 
me,  Wolf?" 

"Yes,  I  understand." 

"  You.  see,  if  the  colonel  caught  Waddie  and  Miss 
Minnie  with  Tom  and  his  sister,  he  would  raise  Cain 
with  them." 

"  I  do  not  think  that  he  would  trouble  them  undei 
ordinary  circumstances,"  I  replied. 

"  O,  yes,  he  would  I  "  protested  Nick,  who,  strangely 


134  EKAKE    UP,    OR 

enough,  as  I  thought,  seemed  to  know   more   about 
the  matter  than  I  did. 

"  Certainly  he  suspects  some  mischief  to-day,  though 
I  do  not  understand  why  he  should.  He  insists 
upon  going  over  to  the  Horse  Shoe,  Nick;  and  I 
don't  know  that  I  can  prevent  him  from  doing  so. 
You  have  a  boat  here?" 

"Yes;   the  one  I  hired  at  Ruoara." 

"If  you  will  go  over  to  the  Horse  Shoe,  as  you 
return,  and  give  them  a  hint  that  Colonel  Wimpleton 
is  after  them,  I  will  be  very  much  obliged  to  you." 

"  O,  I  will  do  that,  certainly,"  replied  the  obliging 
Nick. 

"  Don't  say  a  word  about  his  being  out  of  the  way." 

"  No ;  certainly  not,"  answered  he,  with  a  prudent 
shake  of  the  head. 

"You  understand  the  case  as  well  as  I  do,  and 
you  must  manage  it  as  best  you  can." 

"  I'll  go  right  over;"  and  he  hastened  towards  the. 
landing,  which  was  a  short  distance  up  the  lake. 

I  returned  to  the  hotel,  abundantly  satisfied  with 
the  arrangement  I  had  made.  While  I  could  not 
exactly  understand  how  Nick  happened  so  accurately 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  135 

to  divine  the  object  of  the  colonel's  visit  to  the 
Springs,  I  was  willing  to  admit  that  it  was  very  kind 
of  him  to  endeavor  to  save  Waddie  and  Minnie  from 
the  wrath  of  their  tipsy  father.  I  found  the  colonel 
still  seated  at  the  table,  though  I  was  soon  convinced 
that  he  had  not  been  there  all  the  time  of  my  ab- 
sence; for  his  limbs  were  more  unsteady,  and  his 
voice  thicker,  than  when  I  had  left  him.  He  had 
evidently  taken  another  dram. 

"  There's  another  check,  Wolf,"  said  he,  handing 
me  a  duplicate  of  the  former  one,  which,  I  noticed, 
was  regularly  numbered,  as  the  first  had  been. 

"I  didn't  mean  to  destroy  the  other." 

"Perhaps  you  did  not,  sir;  though  I  cannot  find  it." 

"No  matter;  put  the  check  in  your  pocket.  Now 
take  me  over  to  the  Horse  Shoe,  and  I  will  put  an 
end  to  this  courting  business." 

"  I  think  it  is  rather  late  to  go  there  to-night ;  and 
it  looks  a  little  like  another  shower,"  I  replied. 

"Don't  talk  to  me,  Wolf!  I  say  I'm  going  to  the 
Horse  Shoe." 

It  was  useless  to  contend,  and  I  accompanied  him 
down   to   the   public   landing.    As  I  had   sent  Nick 


136  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

'forward  to  warn  the  party  of  the  approach  of  the 
•colonel,  I  was  satisfied  there  would  be  no  scene  that; 
day.  The  only  boat  I  could  obtain  at  the  landing 
was  a  small  bateau,  very  frail  and  unsteady  for  such 
a  burden  as  I  had  to  carry.  I  objected  to  using  it, 
but  Colonel  Wimpleton  declared  it  would  do  very 
well,  and  insisted  that  I  should  row  him  over  to  the 
island.  I  deemed  it  dangerous  to  do  so,  and  I  tried 
to  deter  him;  but  he  was  as  obstinate  as  usual,  and 
all  the  more  obstinate  for  being  intoxicated.  Very 
reluctantly  I  helped  him  into  the  bateau,  and  soon 
repented  that  I  had  not  absolutely  refused  to  go 
with  him. 

While  I  was  getting  ready,  I  had  occasion  to 
regret  that  his  flask  had  been  refilled,  for  he  took  a 
long  draught  from  it.  When  he  had  with  great 
difficulty  taken  his  seat  in  the  stern  of  the  boat,  I 
pushed  off.  I  saw  nothing  of  the  Belle,  though  the 
boat  in  which  Nick  had  come  from  Ruoara  lay  on 
the  shore  of  the  island,  where  he  had  landed  to 
communicate  with  the  party.  -Another  shower  was 
coming  up  from  the  south-west,  and  I  thought  our 
chances  for  getting  a  ducking  were  very  good.     The 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  137 

last  dram  of  my  passenger  had  begun  to  produce  its 
effect,  and  he  swayed  to  and  fro  on  his  unsteady 
seat,  and  I  regretted  very  much  that  I  had  consented 
to  come  with  him. 

When  I  had  pulled  about  two  thirds  of  the  dis- 
tance to  the  Horse  Shoe,  I  saw  the  Belle  standing 
out  from  the  deep  channel,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
island.  Nick  had  delivered  his  message,  and  the 
peril  of  a  disagreeable  encounter  was  avoided.  I 
called  the  attention  of  the  colonel  to  the  fact  that 
the  party  had  left  the  Horse  Shoe,  hoping  he  would 
permit  me  to  row  back  to  Grass  Springs.  Unfor- 
tunately, the  intelligence  produced  a  different  effect 
upon  him,  and  roused  his  anger. 

"Stop  zem,  Wolf!     Stop  zeni ! "  said  he,  angrily. 

I  did  hail  the  Belle,  but  no  notice  was  taken  of 
my  call. 

"  Pull  for  zat  boat,"  added  he,  pointing  to  the  Belle. 

He  did  not  know  what  he  was  about,  and  I  decided 
not  to  heed  his  requests.  Nick  had  now  embarked  in 
his  sail-boat,  and  in  order  to  double  the  southern  part 
of  the  island,  was  obliged  to  stand  out  towards  my 
craft. 


138  BEAKE    UP,    OR 

"Why  don't  you  do  dzi  tell  you,  Wolf?"  de- 
manded the  colonel,  rising  in  the  boat  as  though  he 
intended  to  come  at  me. 

His  legs  yielded  beneath  him,  and  he  dropped 
upon  the  rail  of  the  bateau,  careening  the  frail  skiff 
till  the  water  poured  in  over  the  side.  Before  I 
could  get  hold  of  him,  he  rolled  over  into  the  lake. 
I  was  horror-struck,  for  it  was  no  easy  matter  to  res- 
cue a  heavy  man,  as  tipsy  as  he  was. 


I  ■ 


i 


■. 


HI 


t  -I  w 

Ilf"' 

I * 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  139 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


AFTER    THE    ACCIDENT. 


M 


Y  skiff  was  nearly  full  of  water,  which  ren- 
JJLi_  dered  it  quite  unmanageable.  In  my  attempt 
to  save  Colonel  Wimpleton  before  he  went  into  the 
water,  I  had  lost  both  oars  overboard.  There  was 
no  romance  in  leaping  into  the  lake  after  a  tipsy 
man,  and  there  were  two  chances  that  he  would 
drown  me  to  one  that  I  should  save  him.  I  did 
not  consider  such  a  movement  on  my  part  as  hope- 
ful, and  therefore  I  did  not  make  it.  I  simply  en- 
deavored to  recover  my  oars,  and  back  the  boat  so 
that  the  struggling  magnate   could   get  hold   of  it. 

The  colonel  floundered  and  fought  the  destroying 
element  with  mad  zeal;  but  of  course  the  more  lie 
labored  the  worse  it  was  for  him.  It  was  evident 
that  he  could  not  hold  out  long,  and  what  was 
done  must  be  quickly  done,  or  it  would  be  too  late. 


140  BRAKE    TJP,    OR 

One  of  my  oars  floated  on  the  water  not  six  feet 
from  me,  but  I  could  not  move  the  boat,  for  the 
want  of  anything  like  a  paddle.  I  coiled  up  the 
painter,  and  threw  it  so  that  the  end  dropped  be- 
yond the  oar.  I  pulled  in,  but  the  line  slipped  over 
it.  I  then  tied  a  heavy  bunch  of  keys  I  had  in 
my  pocket  to  the  end  of  the  painter,  and  tried 
again.  This  effort  was  successful,  and  I  hauled  in 
the  oar  till  I  could  reach  it   with  my  hand. 

I  placed  it  in  the  stern,  heaved  the  skiff  round, 
and  sculled  with  all  my  might  towards  the  drown- 
ing magnate;  but  the  boat  rolled,  and  dipped  the 
water  over  her  gunwale,  so  that  I  made  little  or 
no  progress.  My  heart  was  in  my  mouth,  and  I 
was  almost  certain  the  colonel  would  drown,  when 
Nick  Van  Wolter's  boat  dashed  by  me.  The  helm 
was  put  hard  down,  and,  as  the  craft  came  up  into  the 
wind,  Nick  sprang  into  the  bow.  He  certainly  man- 
aged the  matter  exceedingly  well,  whatever  bun- 
gling he  had  done  earlier  in  the  day.  Reaching 
down,  he  seized  the  drowning  magnate  by  the  collar 
of  his  coat  with  both  hands,  and  held  on  with  all 
his  might. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  141 

If  Colonel  Wirapleton  had  been  sober,  he  would 
not  have  fallen  into  the  water;  but  if  he  had  fall- 
en overboard  being  sober,  and  had  remained  in  the 
water  so  long,  he  would  certainly  have  been  drowned, 
for  drunken  men  seem  to  have  a  remarkable  facility 
for  escaping  from  perils  which  overwhelm  men  in 
their  right  mind.  Nick  held  on  to  his  helpless 
burden  like  a  good  fellow,  and  I  struggled  to  urge 
forward  my  water-logged  boat,  so  as  to  render  him 
some  assistance.  The  skiff  and  the  oars  had  drifted 
some  distance  from  the  spot,  and  my  efforts  were 
absolutely  vain. 

"Hurry  up,  Wolf!"  shouted  Nick,  with  a  gasp, 
extorted  from  him    by  the   weight  of  his  burden. 

"My  skiff  is  full  of  water,  and  I  can't  do  any- 
thing with  it,"  I  replied. 

Taking  the  oar  from  the  stern,  I  tried  to  paddle 
the  skiff.  I  succeeded  better,  but  my  progress  was 
very  slow.  I  saw  Nick  make  a  tremendous  effort 
to  haul  in  the  colonel.  He  stood  upon  the  gun- 
wale of  the  boat,  and  as  he  lifted  with  all  his  strength, 
the  craft  careened,  and  he  dragged  the  shoulders  of 
his  burden  up  to  the  rail.     Falling  back  himself  as 


142  BEAKE    UP,    OR 

he  gained  in  his  task,  the  boat  righted  a  little,  and 
assisted  in  lifting  the  heavy  load.  After  pausing  a 
moment  to  recover  his  breath,  he  renewed  the  ef- 
fort, and,  to  my  great  satisfaction,  he  hauled  the 
colonel  into  the  boat,  just  as  I  came  within  a  paint- 
er's length  of  him. 

"  Catch  this  rope,  Nick,"  I  called  to  him,  as  I  coiled 
up  my  painter,  ready  to  toss  it  to  him. 

But  Nick  had  sunk  down  upon  the  thwart,  over- 
come by  the  violence  of  his  efforts.  So  I  paddled 
away  again  with  the  oar,  and  at  last  came  along- 
side the  sail-boat.  I  jumped  aboard,  and  hastened 
to  ascertain  the  condition  of  the  colonel.  It  seemed 
to  me  he  must  be  filled  with  water;  but  perhaps 
the  natural  repulsion  of  the  pure  element  for  the 
viler  one  with  which  he  was  thoroughly  saturated, 
saved  him.  Of  course  the  severe  ordeal  to  which 
he  had  been  subjected  nullified  the  effects  of  the 
brandy  he  had  drank.  Nick  had  placed  him  upon 
a  seat,  but  he  was  unable  to  sit  up.  He  had  not 
lost  his  senses,  strange  as  it  may  seem;  but  he 
was  completely  exhausted  by  the  violence  of  his 
struggles. 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKEKS.  143 

"How  do  you  feel,  Colonel  Wimpleton?  "    I  asked. 

He  made  me  no  reply,  though  he  looked  up  at 
me.  I  took  my  handkerchief,  wiped  his  face  and 
head,  and  rubbed  his  temples.  He  began  to  shiver 
with  the  chill  of  his  cold  bath,  and  to  throw  up  the 
water  he  had  swallowed.  He  was  rather  stupid,  and 
did  not  answer  any  of  the  questions  I  put  to  him. 
By  this  time  Nick  had  recovered  in  a  measure  from 
his  exhaustion,  and  wanted  to  do  something  more 
for  the  comfort  of  the  great  man  he  had  saved. 

"What  shall  we  do,  Wolf?"  asked  he. 

"Run  for  Grass  Springs,"  I  replied. 

He  hauled  in  the  sheet,  and  put  the  helm  up, 
heading  the  boat  to  the  point  I  suggested. 

"That  was  a  narrow  escape  for  the  colonel,"  add- 
ed Kick,  in  a  low  tone,  as  he  glanced  at  the  suf- 
ferer on  the  seat. 

"Yes,  it  was.  You  came  just  at  the  right  time. 
My  skiff  was  full  of  water,  and  I  could  not  get  along, 
I  lost  my  oars  when  the   colonel  went  over." 

"How  did  it  happen?" 

I  shook  my  head  slightly,  to  indicate  that  we  had 
better  not  discuss  this  matter  in  the  presence  of  the 


144  BEAKE   UP,   OE 

colonel.  Seeing  that  the  skiff,  whose  painter  I  had 
made  fast  to  the  sail-boat,  retarded  her  progress,  I 
cast  it  off,  and  let  it  go  adrift.  There  was  a  fair 
breeze,  and  the  craft  made  good  time  through  the 
water;  but  nearly  half  an  hour  must  elapse  before 
we  could  reach  Grass  Springs,  which  was  about  two 
miles  distant.  I  placed  myself  by  the  side  of  the 
colonel,  and  began  to  rub  him  again ;  but  a  ges- 
ture of  impatience  indicated  that  he  disliked  the 
operation,  and  I  desisted.  But  I  had  the  satisfaction 
of  seeing  that  he  was  steadily  improving.  He  had 
a  fit  of  coughing,  during  which  he  relieved  himself 
of  much  of  the  water  he  had  swallowed  during  his 
struggles. 

"How  do  you  feel,  colonel?"  I  inquired,  when  he 
had  recovered  from  the   fit. 

"A  little  better,"  he  replied,  raising  his  hand  to 
his  breast  pocket. 

He  took  out  his  brandy  flask,  and  attempted  to 
remove  the  stopple;  but  his  trembling  hands  refused 
to  perform  the  task. 

"Let  me  open  it  for  you,"  I  interposed. 

If  brandy  is  ever    good    for    anything,  it    is  for  a 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  145 

person  in  his  condition.  At  first  he  was  not  dis- 
posed  to  let  me  take   the  flask. 

"I  think  you  need  a  little  now.  It  wilr-  do  you: 
good,"  I  added. 

Then  he  permitted  me  to  take  the  bottle,  and  I 
unscrewed  the  top.  Pouring  a  quantity  of  it  into 
the  cup,  which  formed  the  lower  part  of  the  flask, 
I  offered  it  to  him.  He  looked  into  it,  and  held  it 
out  to  me. 

"Put  more  in,"  said  he. 

I  obeyed  him,  and  filled  the   cup  nearly  full. 

"Will  you  have  some  water  with  it?"  I  inquired. 

"No;"  and  he  drank  it  off,  or  rather  poured  it 
down  his  throat. 

I  have  no  doubt  it  warmed  his  stomach,  and  af- 
forded him  immediate  relief  from  the  intense  chill 
which  pervaded  his  frame.  At  any  rate,  he  ceased 
to  shiver.  Before  we  reached  the  shore,  he  took 
another,  but  smaller  dose,  and  then  declared  that 
he   was  quite  comfortable. 

By  this  time  the  Belle  was  off  Ruoara,  and  I 
concluded  that  those  on  board  of  her  were  in  hap- 
py ignorance  of  the  alarming  event  which  had  just 
10 


146  BRAKE   UP,   OK 

transpired.  When  I  had  first  seen  her,  she  was 
beating  towards  home,  and  at  the  time  of  the  ac- 
cident she  had  ran  behind  the  southern  point  of 
the  Horse  Shoe.  It  was  very  fortunate  that  we  had 
not  been  seen,  for  Waddle  and  his  sister  were  again 
spared  the  pain  and  mortification  of  beholding  their 
father  in  the  most  pitiable  condition  to  which  a  man 
can  be   reduced. 

As  soon  as  we  landed  I  procured  a  carriage,  and 
we  conveyed  the  colonel  to  the  hotel.  The  land- 
lord provided  dry  clothing  for  him,  and  we  rubbed 
his  limbs  with  flannel  till  the  circulation  was  re- 
stored. He  continued  to  drink  brandy,  but  it  did 
not  seem  to  have  so  powerful  an  effect  upon  him 
as  before  his  involuntary  bath.  Though  he  did  not 
say  anything  about  the  exciting  event  of  the  day, 
I  have  no  doubt  he  kept  up  a  tremendous  thinking. 
In  the  evening,  after  his  clothes  had  been  dried, 
and  he  had  eaten  his  supper,  he  said  he  wanted  to 
go  home.  He  consented,  at  Nick's  suggestion,  to  go 
to  Ruoara  in  the  boat  in  which  the  latter  had 
come  from  that  place,  and  we  embarked  just  after 
dark.     We  borrowed  a  heavy  overcoat  for  him,  and 


THE    YOUXG    PEACEMAKERS.  147 

he   kept  warm  on   the   passage,  which,  in   the    fresh 

breeze  we  had,  was  made  in  an  hour  and  a  quarter. 

At   Ruoara  I   procured   a  carriage    and  a  pair   of 

fast    horses;    but    it    was    eleven    o'clock    when    we 
J 

reached  the  colonel's  mansion  in  Centreport.  He  in- 
vited us  to  go  in  on  our  arrival,  and  led  the  way 
to  the  library.  His  family  had  all  retired,  for  he 
was  frequently  away  nights,  and  they  had  learned 
not  to  sit  up  for  him. 

"I  suppose  all  this  will  be  in  the  newspapers  by 
to-morrow,  or  next  day,"  said  the  colonel,  as  he 
seated  himself  before  the  fire  he  had  ordered  John, 
his  man,   to   make. 

"  No,  sir,  not  at  all ! "  protested  Nick,  "  We  didn't 
even  tell  the  landlord  over  to  the  hotel  at  Grass 
Springs  what  had  happened  to  you  —  did  we,  Wolf?" 

"We  did  not.  I  am  not  aware  that  any  one  ex- 
cept ourselves   knows   anything   about  it,"  I  replied. 

"And  no  one  ever  shall,"  added  Nick,  looking  at 
me,   and  evidently  speaking  for  both   of  us. 

"Certainly  not,"  I  answered.  "If  there  is  nothing 
more  that  I  can  do  for  you  to-night,  Colonel  Wim- 
pleton,  I  believe  I  will  go   home." 


148  BRAKE    TJP,    OK 

"You  can  sleep  here,  Wolf,"  suggested  the  colonel. 

"I  thank  you,  sir;  but  I  think  I  will  go  home," 
I  replied;  and,  bidding  him  good  night,  I  left  the 
house. 

I  had  a  skiff  at  the  wharf,  in  which  I  pulled  across 
the  lake.  It  was  after  midnight  when  I  reached  my 
father's  house.  My  mother  let  me  in,  and  of  course 
she  wanted  to  know  where  I  had  been.  I  simply 
replied  that  I  had  been  to  Grass  Springs  with  Colo- 
nel Wimpleton,  evading  all  her  inquiries  in  regard 
to  the  object  of  the  visit.  I  went  to  my  room  im- 
mediately. When  I  put  my  hand  in  my  vest  pocket 
for  the  key  of  my  watch,  which  it  was  my  custom 
to  wind  on  retiring,  I  felt  the  duplicate  check  which 
my  employer  had  given  me.  I  took  it  out,  and  un- 
folded it.  The  paper  was  written  in  due  form,  and 
I  had  no  doubt  it  was  good  for  the  ten  thousand 
dollars  for  wdiich  it  was  drawn. 

The  check  had  been  given  me  by  an  intoxicated 
man.  It  was  not  possible  that  he  would  have  done 
so  absurd  a  thing  if  he  had  been  sober.  Certainly 
it  was  not  morally  right  for  me  to  take  advantage  of 
his  great  infirmity.     Though  the  donor  could  give  me 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  149 

this  large  sum,  and  not  feel  the  loss,  yet  it  seemed 
to  be  nothing  less  than  robbery  to  use  the  check. 
It  would  be  base  and  dishonorable  in  me  to  hold 
him  to  a  promise  given  in  his  inebriation.  I  might 
lose  the  check  if  I  kept  it,  and  another  might  find 
it  who  had  less  scruples.  If  I  left  it  at  home,  my 
father  and  mother  might  discover  it,  and  desire  an 
explanation,  which  I  could   not  give. 

Rather  impulsively,  I  folded  up  the  check,  lighted 
it  at  the  lamp,  and  threw  it  into  the  fireplace.  I 
watched  the  paper  till  it  was  entirely  consumed,  and 
then  scattered  and  ground  up  with  my  foot  the  tin- 
der which  was  left.  Having  thus  prevented  the  check 
from  doing  any  mischief  in  the  future,  I  went  to  bed. 


150 


BRAKE    UP,    OK 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

"the   occurrences   of  yesterday." 

THE  next  morning,  at  eight  o'clock,  my  father 
and  I  crossed  the  lake  to  perform  our  daily 
duties  on  board  of  the  steamer,  which  arrived  from 
Hitaca  at  half  past  eight.  I  could  not  help  think- 
ing of  the  stirring  events  of  the  previous  day,  and 
I  was  anxious  to  leam  whether  the  colonel  had  suf- 
fered any  serious  injury  in  consequence  of  his  bath, 
and  more  especially  in  consequence  of  the  inordinate 
quantity  of  brandy  he  had  drank.  While  I  was 
waiting  for  the  arrival  of  the  Ucayga,  Waddie  came 
down  the  wharf,  and,  as  he  walked  with  a  brisk 
step  directly  towards  me,  I  had  no  doubt  his  mis- 
sion there  was  with  me. 

"How   are   you  this   morning,  Wolf?"  said   he. 

"  All  right.  How  is  it  with  you,  after  the  disaster 
of  yesterday?"  I  inquired. 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  151 

"  I'm  all  right,  except  my  shoulder,  which  don't 
feel  quite  so  well  to-day.  My  mother  thinks  I  took 
a  little  cold  in  it." 

"How  is  your  sister?  I  hope  she  don't  suffer  any 
on  account  of  her  bath." 

"O,  no!  She  is  as  bright  as  a  dollar  this  morn- 
ing. By  the  great  horn  spoon,  it  was  a  close  shave 
she  made  of  it!  Tom  Walton  may  say  what  he 
pleases,  but  I  believe,  if  Tommy  Toppleton  hadn't 
swam  after  her,  she  would  have  been  drowned,  for 
she  says  she  was  sinking  when  he  got  hold  of  her." 

"You  must  have  a  safer  boat,  Waddie,  if  your 
sister  is  going  to  sail  with  you,"  I  added.  "  I  didn't 
quite  like  the  looks  of  the  craft  the  other  day,  when 
I  saw  her." 

"  The  Raven  is  safe  enough.  She  may  be  a  little 
crank,  but  she  can  outsail  anything  on  the  lake.  It 
wasn't  her  fault  that  she  upset  yesterday.  Any 
boat  would  have  gone  over  treated  as  she  was ; " 
and.  he  proceeded  to  explain  the  circumstances  im< 
plicating  Nick  Van  Wolter,  which  have  already  beep 
stated. 

"Now,  what  was  the  matter  with  my  father  yes- 


152  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

■terday,  Wolf?"  asked  Waddie;  but  he  looked  so 
good-natured  about  it  that  I  was  sure  he  did  not 
suspect  the  mortifying  truth.  "You  went  up  to 
Grass  Springs  with  him,  in  search  of  our  party."    • 

"  I  did.  Your  father  suspected  that  you  and  Grace, 
and  Tommy  and  Miss  Wimpleton,  were  becoming 
too  well  acquainted." 

"  Grace  and  I ! "  laughed  Waddie,  opening  his 
eyes.  "You  can  tell  him  from  me  that  there  isn't 
a  particle  of  truth  in  that." 

His  earnest  declaration  removed  the  last  doubt 
that  disturbed  me. 

"I  don't  know  where  he  obtained  his  information, 
if  he  did  obtain  any,  but  he  was  very  much  in- 
censed against  you." 

"Perhaps  there  will  be  a  regular  breeze  one  of 
these  days,  for  I  think  myself  that  Tommy  and 
Minnie  like  each  other  pretty  well,"  added  Waddie, 
lightly.  "That's  their  business,  not  mine.  Of  course, 
I  don't  mean  to  say  that  anything  will  come  of  it; 
but  I  shouldn't  be  surprised  if  it  did  amount  to 
something." 

"Have  you  seen  your  father  this  morning?"  I  in- 


THE    YOUXG    PEACEMAKERS,  153 

quired,  with  more  interest  than  I  was  willing  to 
manifest. 

"No;  he  had  not  got  up  when  I  left  the  house. 
I  expect  he  will  talk  to  me  very  seriously  about 
yesterday;   but  I   shall   only   answer  for  myself." 

"There   is  not   much    to  say,"   I  replied. 

"When  he  gets  at  the  fact,  as  I  understand  it, 
I'm  afraid  poor  Minnie  will  have  to  take  it;  but 
we  won't  borrow  any  trouble.  I  must  go  to  school 
now.  Of  course  you  won't  tell  him  what  I  say  about 
Tom   and  Minnie." 

"Certainly  not." 

He  left  me.  I  wanted  to  ask  him  several  ques- 
tions in  relation  to  his  father;  but  I  was  fearful 
of  exposing  the  colonel,  or  awakening  the  curiosity 
of  the  son.  It  was  plain  enough  that  he  had  no 
idea  of  what  a  debauch  his  father  had  been  on  the 
day  before.  Those  who  had  heard  of  the  great 
man's  narrow  escape  on  the  railroad  were  consid- 
erate enough  not  to  mention  it  in  Waddie's  pres- 
ence. I  had  not  time  to  call  upon  the  colonel,  even 
if  it  had  been  proper  for  me  to  do  so,  at  this  early 
hour  in  the  morning.  The  Ucayga  was  coming  in 
sight  from  behind  the  Gulfport  Point. 


<5      154  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"  Captain  Penniman,  Colonel  Wimpleton  told  me 
to  deliver  this  note  to  you  before  you  left,"  said  the 
magnate's  man   servant,  handing  me   the  epistle. 

I  took  it,  and  saw  that  it  was  directed  in  the  well- 
known  handwriting  of  the  colonel.  He  seldom  wrote 
notes  to  me,  and  this  one,  after  the  events  which 
had  transpired  the  day  before,  excited  my  curiosity 
and  interest.  I  tore  open  the  envelope,  and,  as  I 
read  its  contents,  my  heart  rose  into  my  throat. 
Before  I  had  finished  it,  I  made  up  my  mind  that 
if  I  had  ever  supposed  I  understood  the  character 
of  Colonel  Wimpleton,  I  was  entirely  mistaken.  The 
letter  was  as  follows :  — 

"Wolf  Penniman:  After  the  occurrences  of  yes- 
terday, I  can  no  longer  retain  you  in  my  employ  as 
the  master  of  the  steamboat.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
explain  any  further  than  to  say  that  I  feel  com- 
pelled to  discharge  you  from  your  place.  You  need 
not  trouble  yourself  to  call  upon  me,  for  I  shall  not 
see  you;  and  henceforward  you  will  regard  me  as 
ft  stranger,   as  I  shall  regard   you. 

"Your  father  may  still  retain  his  place  as  engineer. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS  155 

He   is    a   faithful    man,   and   I   hope    he   will   remain 
where   he  is. 

"If  you  have  that  high  sense  of  honor  for  which 
people  give  you  credit,  you  will  still  regard  what 
passed  between  us  yesterday  as  confidential,  espe- 
cially after  the  consideration  I  gave  you,  and  which, 
I  will  add,  shall  not  be   dishonored. 

Wihpleton." 

I  will  not  say  I  was  stunned  or  overwhelmed  by 
the  contents  of  this  letter;  but  I  was  astounded.  It 
was  incomprehensible  to  me.  I  could  not  understand 
it.  I  had  left  the  colonel  just  before  midnight,  and 
we  were  then  apparently  on  as  good  terms  as  ever. 
He  had  expressed  no  dissatisfaction  at  anything  I 
had  done.  I  read  the  note  a  second  and  a  third 
time;  but  it  still  afforded  me  no  intimation  of  what 
wicked  thing  I  had  done  to  deserve  such  harsh 
treatment. 

"What  have  you  there,  Wolf?"  asked  my  father, 
who  stood  near  me. 

"A  letter  from  Colonel  Wimpleton,"  I  replied,  hand- 
ing it  to  him. 


156  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

He  read  it,  and  was  more  astounded  even  than  I 
had  been.  I  had  been  regarded  as  a  necessity  to 
the  magnate  of  Centreport;  but  now  I  was  dis- 
charged without  a  word  of  explanation,  with  the 
assurance  beforehand  that  he  would  not  even  see  me. 

"Why,  what  does  this  mean,  Wolf?"  demanded 
my  father;  and  I  think  I  never  saw  him  look  more 
anxious  and  disturbed  in    my  life. 

"You  know  as  much  about  it  as  I  do,  father," 
I  replied. 

"No,  I  don't.  I  can't  tell  what  he  means  by  the 
occurrences  of  yesterday." 

"They  had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  the 
steamer." 

"Wolf,  there   is   some  terrible   secret   under  this." 

"Indeed  there  is  not,  father,"  I  protested.  "I  have 
done  nothing  which  I  should  be  ashamed  to  have 
published  in  the  newspapers." 

"I  don't  say  that  you  have,"  answered  my  father, 
as  the  Ucayga  came  up  to  the  wharf,  and  made  fast. 
"I  must  know  more  about  this." 

"There  are  certain  occurrences  which  I  cannot  men- 
tion  to   any  one;   but  I  think  of  nothing  to  explain 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  157 

this  note.  When  I  left  Colonel  Wimpleton's  house, 
at  nearly  midnight,  we  were  as  good  friends  as  ever. 
I  have  no  idea  why  I  am  discharged." 

"I'm  not  satisfied,  Wolf." 

"Neither  am  I;  but  the  colonel  informs  me  that 
he  will  give  no  explanation,  and  I  suppose  I  may  as 
well  make  the  best  of  it." 

"  I  want  to  talk  with  you.  Can't  you  go  down  to 
Ucayga  in  the  boat?" 

"I  have  no  objection,  if  the  colonel  has  not." 

I  saw  the  same  servant  who  had  delivered  the 
note  to  me  hasten  on  board  the  Ucayga  as  soon  as 
the  plank  was  laid  down.  He  had  a  letter  in  his 
hand,  which  I  saw  him  give  to  Yan  Wolter.  As 
soon  as  the  passengers  landed  I  went  on  board  of 
the  boat.     The  first  person  I  met  was  the  mate. 

"What's  going  on,  Captain  Penniman?"  said  he^ 
in  high  excitement. 

"I  only  know  that  I  am  dismissed,"  I  answered. 

"Read  that,"  he  added,  handing  me  his  letter. 

It  simply  informed  him  that  he  was  appointed  capv 
tain  of  the  steamer,  at  the  same  salary  I  had  received, 
and  that  he  would  enter  upon  the  discharge  of  his 
duties  immediately. 


158  BRAKE   UP,   OR 

"What's  the  trouble,  Captain  Penniman.?"  asked 
he,  as  I  returned  the  letter. 

"I  haven't  the  least  idea,  Captain  Van  Wolter,"  I 
replied  ;  and  by  this  time  I  had  fully  recovered  my 
self-possession. 

"  This  is  all  new  to  me.  I  never  asked  to  be  ap- 
pointed captain  of  this  boat,  and  never  expected  the 
place,"  he  continued. 

"I  am  satisfied  you  did  not.  I  congratulate  you 
upon  your  promotion,  with  all  my  heart ;  and  I 
hope  you  will  retain  the  place  longer  than  I  did." 

"  I  thank  you,  captain  ;  but  I  don't  feel  just  right 
about  it,"  said  he ;  and  really  he  did  not  seem  to  be 
half  so  much  elated  at  his  good  fortune  as  I  should 
have  been.  "You  have  always  been  a  good  friend 
of  mine,  and  I  don't  exactly  like  to  step  into  your 
boots  in  this  manner." 

"Don't  be  at  all  concerned  about  that.  The 
colonel  has  his  whims,  and  I  suppose  he  can  afford 
to  have  them,  whoever  suffers  thereby.  Take  the 
place,  and  do  your  duty  in  the  future,  as  you  have 
in  the  past." 

"You    are    very    kind,    Captain    Penniman.      Of 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  159 

course  I  should  like  the  place;  but  I  don't  wish  to 
have  you  shoved  out  of  it.  I  am  tempted  to  de- 
cline it." 

"Don't  do  that." 

"I'm  not  sure  that  I  can  take  the  boat  through 
the  Horse  Shoe  Channel.  You  know  I  never  tried 
it.  Yesterday  afternoon  I  went  around  the  South 
Shoe,  and  came  within  half  a  minute  of  losing  the 
trains." 

"  I  will  go  down  with  you  on  this  trip,  and  give 
you  the  bearings,"  I  replied. 

"You  are  a  Christian,  Wolf,  if  there  ever  was  one. 
It  is  time  to  be  off,  and  we  will  talk  over  the  matter 
on  the  way  down." 

While  he  was  starting  the  boat  I  went  into  the 
state-room,  —  no  longer  mine, — and  seated  myself 
to  think  over  the  mighty  event  of  the  hour.  Why 
had  the  colonel  discharged  me?  I  had  told  him  the 
plain  truth  in  regard  to  his  condition.  I  had  spoken 
to  him  as  directly  as  Nathan  did  to  David  when  he 
said,  "  Thou  art  the  man."  I  had  declared  to  him, 
m  so  many  words,  that  he  was  drunk.  Perhaps  the 
remembrance  of  my   plain    speech   was    too    huraili- 


160  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

ating  when  he  was  sober.  It  was  possible  that  he 
thought  I  was  assuming  too  much.  As  I  recalled 
his  words  and  his  actions,  his  efforts  to  disguise  his 
condition,  and  his  ridiculous  attempt  to  purchase 
my  silence,  I  concluded  that  I  had  solved  the 
problem. 

No  doubt  the  colonel  was  ashamed  of  himself,  and 
he  could  not  endure  the  reflection  that  any  human 
being,  and  especially  one  whom  he  regarded  as  his 
dependant,  had  dared  to  tell  him  he  was  intoxicated. 
The  note  indicated  wounded  pride  in  its  tone.  I 
was  willing  to  accept  this  explanation,  for  I  could 
think  of  no  other.  The  colonel  was  certainly  con- 
siderate towards  my  father ;  and  this  favor,  with  the 
check,  which  he  took  pains  to  say  would  not  be  dis- 
honored, was  doubtless  deemed  sufficient  to  concili- 
ate me,  and  keep  me  from  exposing  the  secrets  of 
the  chamber  at  the  hotel  in  Grass  Springs.  The  note 
was  mild  in  its  terms;  and  perhaps  the  writer  thought 
that,  with  ten  thousand  dollars  in  my  pocket,  I  should 
not  take  a  place  on  the  railroad  line. 

While  I  was  thinking  of  the  matter,  my  father, 
who  had  asked  Christy  Holgate  to  take  charge  of  the 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  161 

engine  on  his  down  trip,  came  into  the  room,  and, 
seated  himself  before  me.  He  was  very  much  agi- 
tated; and  the  fact  that  he  had  not  been  discharged 
did  not  close  his  eyes  to  the  vast  injustice  which  had 
been  done  to  me.  He  wanted  the  matter  settled  at 
once,  and  he  would  not  run  the  engine  another  clay 
if  I  could  not  have  fair  play.  I  begged  him  to  keep 
cool,  and  he  began  to  question  me  very  sharply  in 
regard  to  the  "  occurrences  of  yesterday." 
11 


162  BEAKE    UP,   OR 


CHAPTER  XV. 


A    TEMPTING    OFFER. 


"  "\"\7~^'k'^,  there  is  a  story  in  circulation  that 
T  I  Colonel  Wimpleton  was  very  much  intoxi- 
cated yesterday,"  said  my  father,  as  he  seated  him- 
self in  the  state-room.  "  I  heard  two  passengers 
speaking  of  it  on  the  main  deck,  just  now.  Is  this 
one  of  the  occurrences  of  yesterday?" 

"  Probably  Colonel  Wimpleton  does  not  so  regard 
it,"  I  replied. 

u  They  say  he  fell  off  the  train,  and  came  very 
near  being  killed." 

"That  is  not  true.  He  got  out  of  the  car  when 
the  train  stopped  to  avoid  killing  a  cow.  It  started 
before  he  could  get  on.  When  I  missed  him,  I 
induced  the  conductor  to  go  back,  for  I  was  afraid 
he  had  been  hurt.  He  was  on  the  track,  and  came 
very   near  being  run   over;   but  he  did  not  fall  off. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  163 

We  put  on  the  brakes  hard,  or  he  might  have  been 
killed,"  I  added,  stating  the  case  as  mildly  as  possible. 

"  If  he  don't  brake  up  there  will  an  end  of  him," 
said  my  father,  shaking  his  head.  "They  say  he 
drinks  very  hard." 

"  I  think  there  is  no  doubt  about  that." 

"You  picked  him  up,  I  suppose,"  continued  my 
father. 

"  I  assisted  in  doing  it.  Of  course  all  this  was 
known  to  the  people  on  the  train." 

"  It's  no  secret,  for  the  passengers  on  board  are 
spreading  it  as  fast  as  they  can.  But  what  else 
happened  yesterday  ?  " 

''  Colonel  Wimpleton  regards  these  matters  as 
confidential,  and  I  do  not  consider  myself  at  liberty 
to  speak  of  them.  I  can  only  say  I  did  nothing  to 
compromise  myself,  and,  except  getting  intoxicated, 
I  don't  know  that  the  colonel  did.  There  is  really 
no  secret  to  be  revealed ;  and  I  don't  think  the 
colonel  wishes  to  conceal  anything,  except  the  fact 
that  he  was  intoxicated." 

"  But  everybody  knows  that. 

"Everybody    but    the    tippler    himself,"    I    added. 


164  .  BEAKE    UP,    OK 

"  He  thinks  no  one  has  any  idea  that  he  drinks  more 
than  he  can  carry." 

"  You  took  care  of  him  while  he  was  in  this  state  " 

"  I  did  what  I  could  for  him." 

"And  he  discharges  you  for  this!"  exclaimed  my 
father,  compressing  his  lips,  as  if  to  suppress  his 
indignation. 

"  Colonel  Wimpleton  occupies  a  high  j^osition. 
He  is  a  very  proud  man.  As  I  understand  the  mat- 
ter, he  does  not  want  any  one  in  his  employ  who 
has  witnessed  his  degradation  and  humiliation.  That 
is  all  I  can  make  of  it.  As  I  said  before,  I  have  no 
idea  of  the  reason  why  I  am  discharged." 

"  It's  very  singular,"  added  my  father,  with  a  puz- 
zled expression. 

We  continued  to  discuss  the  subject,  with  no 
better  results,  till  I  was  called  to  pilot  the  boat 
through  the  Horse  Shoe  Channel.  I  gave  all  the 
bearings  to  Captain  Van  Yfolter,  but  he  declared  it 
was  the  most  difficult  piece  of  navigation  he  knew 
of,  and  he  did  not  believe  his  nerves  would  ever  let 
him  do  it.  I  regarded  it  as  a  very  easy  matter, 
because  I  had   learned   every   foot  of  the  bottom  in 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  165 

my  small  boat.  After  the  Ucayga  passed  into  the 
open  lake  again,  Yan  Wolter  came  into  the  state- 
room, where  my  father  still  remained.  We  again 
debated  the  knotty  problem,  and  the  new  captain 
was  fair  and  square  in  his  position.  If  my  father 
had  any  suspicion  that  he  had  used  underhand  means 
to  obtain  the  place,  I  had  none. 

When  the  Ucayga  returned  to  Centreport,  all  of 
us  had  become  tolerably  reconciled  to  the  new  order* 
of  things.  I  advised  my  father  to  attend  to  his  duty 
as  usual,  and  say  nothing  about  me.  Hard  as  it  was 
for  him,  he  consented,  and  I  went  on  shore,  taking 
with  me  all  my  effects,  and  bidding  good  by  to  my 
associates.  My  occupation  was  gone;  but  it  was 
not  generally  known  yet  that  I  had  been  superseded. 
I  was  not  disposed  to  make  any  sensation ;  so  I  took 
my  skiff  and  pulled  over  to  Middleport.  I  went 
home,  and  had  a  three  hours'  talk  with  my  mother 
upon  "  the  occurrences  of  yesterday,"  so  far  as  I  felt 
justified  in  alluding  to  them.  Then  I  went  out  into 
the  garden,  which  my  father  and  I  were  planting  in 
our  leisure  hours. 

I  had  plenty  of  time  for  reflection.     I  was  out  of 


166  BRAKE    UP,   OR 

employment  now ;  but  I  had  saved  my  wages,  and  did 
7iot  feel  much  concerned  about  the  future,  though  I 
had  no  idea  of  remaining  long  without  work.  Captain 
Portman,  who  had  come  after  me  the  year  before 
to  serve  as  skipper  of  his  yacht,  might  still  wish 
to  employ  me  in  that  capacity.  Very  likely  Major 
Toppleton  would  give  me  a  position  as  soon  as  he 
learned  that  his  great  rival  had  dismissed  me.  The 
Belle  was  still  my  property;  but  I  could  not  think 
of  depriving  my  good  friend  Tom  Walton  of  the 
excellent  business  he  was  doing  in  her.  He  paid  me 
a  very  handsome  income  on  my  investment  in  the 
boat.  While  I  was  thus  meditating  upon  the  past  and 
the  future,  I  saw  Waddie  Wimpleton  coming  up  the 
walk  towards  me.     He  had  heard  'the  news. 

"  Wolf,  I  shall  not  stand  this.  By  the  great  horn 
spoon,  I  shall  not,"  said  he,  in  excited  tones,  as  he 
grasped  my  dirty  hand,  with  which  I  had  been  drop- 
ping potatoes. 

"What's  the  matter,  Waddie?"  I  asked,  pleas- 
antly and  coolly. 

"  I  am  the  president  of  the  Steamboat  Company, 
and  until  I  discharge  you,  you  are  not  discharged." 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  167 

"  I  am  willing  to  waive  the  forms." 

"  I  don't  care  for  the  forms.  You  are  still  captain 
of  the  steamer." 

"  Have  you  seen  your  father  ?  " 

"  I  have ;  he  is  not  very  well  to-day." 

I  did  not  see  how  he  could  be  very  well  after  the 
debauch  of  the  day  before. 

"  What  does  he  say  ?  "   I  asked. 

"He  will  not  say  anything  that  .satisfies  me.  He 
don't  want  you.  any  longer,  and  he  says  you  are 
entirely  satisfied  with  what  he  has  done.    Is  that  so?" 

"I  can't  say  that  it  is.  I  do  not  understand  why 
I  am  discharged.  Here  is  your  father's  note  to  me," 
I  added,  handing  him  the  letter. 

He  read  it,  and  looked  even  more  puzzled  than 
before.  ■ 

"  Well,  what  does  all  this  mean  ?  c  Occurrences 
of  yesterday,'  'confidential,'  'consideration,'"  he  add- 
ed, glancing  over  the  note  a  second  time. 

"  So  far  as  there  was  anything  confidential  between 
your  father  and  me,  it  must  remain  so." 

"  Of  course,"  said  Waddie.  "  I  don't  mean  to  piy 
into  anything  that  does  not  concern  me." 


168  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"Now,  Waddie,  I  am  going  to  submit  to  the 
action  of  your  father,  and  I  wish  you  to  do  the 
same." 

"  I  can't  do  it,"  protested  he.  "  It  is  mean  to  dis- 
charge you  in  this  manner." 

"Not  as  your  father  understands  it,"  I  replied, 
thinking  of  the  ten  thousand  dollars  he  had  given 
me,  perhaps  intended,  at  the  time  it  was  given,  to 
compensate  me  for  being  discharged. 

"  If  I  am  not  to  be  allowed  to  know  the  facts,  of 
course  I  can't  judge  whether  it  is  mean  or  not." 

"  I  advise  you  not  to  mention  the  matter  to  any 
one.  There  is  something  unpleasant  about  the  oc- 
currences of  yesterday,  and  the  more  you  stir  the 
subject,  the  more  unpleasant  it  will  become." 

Waddie  looked  at  me,  and  a  certain  sadness  'which 
overspread  his  face  assured  me  that  he  was  not 
ignorant  of  his  father's  infirmity.  He  was  not  dis- 
posed to  talk  with  me  about  it,  or  to  acknowledge 
the  terrible  truth. 

"Wolf,  we  all  have  a  theory  to  explain  everything; 
and  I  have  mine,"  said  he,  after  a  long  pause.  "  I 
am   afraid  you   have   got   into   this   scrape   by   what 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  169 

you  did  for  our  party  yesterday.  My  father  be- 
lieves that  Tommy  Toppleton  is  in  love  with  Minnie, 
or  I  with  Grace.  He  hates  the  Toppletons  as  badly 
as  ever,  and  I  am  afraid  he  would  rather  see  ns  dead 
than  have  a  marriage  between  the  two  families." 

"  Does  he  say  anything  ?  " 

"Not  a  word;  it  isn't  his  style.  If  he  caught  us 
together  he  would.  He  spoke  of  going  to  Europe 
this  morning  for  his  health,  and  of  taking  Minnie 
and  me  with  him.  He  is  thinking  how  he  can  sepa- 
rate us  from  the  Toppletons.  From  his  taking  you 
with  him  yesterday,  he  must  have  supposed  you 
knew  what  was  going  on." 

« Why  should  he  suppose  so  ? "  I  asked. 

"  I  don't  know.  Then  you  sent  Nick  Van  Wolter 
to  warn  us  to  keep  out  of  the  way." 

"  He  could  not  have  known  that." 

"  Perhaps  he  did." 

"How?" 

"  I  have  about  come  to  the  conclusion  that  Nick 
is  a  snake." 

"Do  you  think  so?"  I  added,  rather  startled  by 
the  suggestion. 


170  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"  John  says  Nick  did  not  leave  my  father  till  after 
one  o'clock  last  night;  and  I  know  he  was  in  the 
library  to-day." 

"What  makes  you  think  Nick  is  a  snake?" 

"I  don't  like  his  actions.  He  is  a  regular  swell, 
to  begin  with.  I  am  not  sure  of  anything,  but  I 
can't  help  thinking  that  Nick  told  my  father  you 
sent  him  to  warn  us  to  keep  out  of  his  way.  If  he 
knew  that  he  would  not  look  at  you  again  as  long 
as  he  lives." 

"It  may  be  so." 

"  I  shall  keep  an  eye  on  Nick,  and  find  out,  if  pos- 
sible, what  is  going  on  between  him  and  my  father." 

"  I  hope  Nick  is  not  playing  foul,"  I  added,  musing. 

"I  shall  follow  your  advice,  Wolf,  and  keep  still 
for  a  while  ;  but  I  am  not  going  to  let  this  thing  rest 
as  it  is  a  great  while.  My  father  told  me  to  pay  you 
your  last  week's  salary.  Here  is  a  check  for  the 
amount." 

I  took  the  check,  for  I  had  fairly  earned  the  money. 
Waddie  was  determined  to  know  more,  and  only  his 
fear  of  opening  a  tender  subject  prevented  him  from 
taking  a  stand  at  once  in  my  favor.     He  left  me,  and 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  171 

I  continued  to  plant  potatoes  till  night  I  had  a 
feeling  that  justice  would  be  done  me  in  the  end, 
and  that  I  could  afford  to  wait.  I  determined  to 
keep  quiet  for  a  few  days,  and  the  result  of  this 
decision  was,  that  a  great  deal  of  work  was  done  in 
our  garden.  But  it  was  soon  known  that  I  had  been 
discharged,  or  had  voluntarily  retired,  from  the  com- 
mand of  the  steamer.  Many  of  my  friends  came  to 
see  me.  Tom  Walton  was  ready  to  give  up  the 
Belle ;  but  I  told  him  I  was  satisfied  with  the  pres- 
ent arrangement,  and  would  sell  him  the  boat  for 
whatever  she  would  bring  at  auction.  Tommy  Top- 
pleton,  at  the  suggestion  of  his  father,  offered  me  the 
position  of  agent  of  the  Lake  Shore  Railroad  and 
Steamboat  Line,  at  the  same  salary  I  had  been  re- 
ceiving in  the  Ucayga. 

This  was  a  tempting  offer ;  but  I  felt  that  I  could 
do  nothing  for  the  line,  and  I  reserved  my  answer 
for  a  future  time.  I  could  not  suggest  any  plan 
which  would  enable  the  line  to  compete  with  the 
steamer,  and  I  did  not  wish  to  increase  the  ill  feeling 
between  the  two  great  men.  I  told  Wadclie  of  the 
offer    made  me,  and  he   was   reasonable    enough   to 


172  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

think  I  ought  to  accept  it.  After  his  father  had  dis- 
charged me,  he  had  no  further  claims  upon  me.  I 
asked  him  to  mention  the  subject  to  his  father  as  a 
"feeler,"  and  he  promised  to  do  so.  Colonel  Wim- 
pleton  believed  he  had  given  me  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  probably  regarded  this  sum  as  a  retainer 
against  the  enemy,  if  nothing  more. 

A  few  days  after  my  dismissal,  I  went  over  to 
Centreport  to  draw  the  check  given  me  for  my  last 
week's  pay.  As  I  walked  up  from  the  wharf,  I  met 
Colonel  Wimpleton  in  his  buggy.  He  glanced  at 
me,  and  then  looked  the  other  way,  true  to  his  promise 
to  treat  me  as  a  stranger.  I  obeyed  his  injunction, 
and  did  not  presume  to  bow  or  otherwise  recognize 
him.  I  met  Nick  Yan  Wolter,  who  only  nodded  to 
me,  and  hurried  on  as  though  he  did  not  wish  to 
speak  with  me.  I  could  not  help  thinking  of  what 
Waddie  had  said  of  him,  and  his  impression  of 
Nick's  double  dealing  seemed  to  be  confirmed  by  his 
present  conduct. 

I  walked  up  the  hill  towards  the  Institute,  for  I 
wished  very  much  to  see  Waddie,  and  learn  what 
his  father  had  said  about  my  taking  the  agency  of 
the  Lake  Shore  Line. 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  173 


CHAPTER  XVI, 


THE    TJCAYGA   IX    TROUBLE. 


IT  was  nearly  noon  when  I  reached  the  Institute 
grounds,  and,  as  the  forenoon  session  would  soon 
be  over,  I  waited  for  Waddie  to  come  out.  I  could 
not  help  smiling,  as  I  recalled  the  stiff  look  of  the 
colonel  when  I  met  him.  But  I  was  pleased  to  see 
that  he  appeared  better  than  usual.  His  face  was 
not  so  red,  and  it  was  easy  to  believe  that  he  had 
tippled  in  moderation,  if  at  all,  since  our  visit  to 
Grass  Springs.  Waddie  joined  me  when  the  bell 
rang,  and  put  an  end  to  my  moral  reflections.  We 
walked  together  into  the  grove  to  get  away  from 
the  rest  of  the  students. 

"What  did  your  father  say,  Waddie?"  I  asked, 
opening  the  subject  which  was  uppermost  in  my 
thought. 

"  He  is  rather  non-committal,"  replied  my  friend. 
"He  says  it  is  for  you  to  do  as  you  think  proper." 


174  BRAKE   UP,   OR 

"Did  he  make  no  objection?" 

"  He  said,  if  you  could  accept  any  position  on  the 
Lake  Shore  Line  after  what  had  passed  between  you, 
he  should  have  nothing  to  say." 

By  "what  had  passed  between  us"  I  judged  that 
he  meant  the  check  for  ten  thousand  dollars;  but, 
if  he  had  made  the  inquiry  at  the  bank,  he  must 
have  known  that  the  check  had  not  been  presented 
for  payment. 

"  Was  that  all  ?  " 

"Every  word.  He  didn't  want  to  say  anything; 
and  I  dragged  this  out  of  him." 

"That  is  not  very  satisfactory,"  I  replied. 

"You  are  a  queer  fellow,  Wolf!"  laughed  Waddie, 
stepping  back  a  couple  of  paces;  "After  my  father 
has  discharged  you,  without  any  explanation,  and 
told  you  to  regard  him  as  a  stranger,  you  want  to 
ask  his  permission  to  accept  another  situation." 

"  I  don't  ask  his  permission.  I  only  want  to  know 
what  he  thinks  of  it.  I  don't  wish  to  stir  up  the 
old  rivalry  again.  If  I  can  quietly  take  the  place 
offered  me,  I  should  like  to  do  so." 

"Take  it,  Wolf,  and  ask  no  more  questions,"  said 
he,  as  we  walked  towards  the  town. 


THE   TOTJXG    PEACEMAKERS.  175 

I  was  far  from  satisfied.  I  could  not  mention  the 
check  the  colonel  had  given  me,  and  which  I  had 
destroyed;  but  this  was  the  key  to  the  whole  matter 
between  the  magnate  and  myself.  It  was  necessary 
for  him  to  know  that  I  had  destroyed  the  check,  and 
the  reasons  why  I  had  done  so.  If  I  wrote  to  him 
to  this  effect,  I  had  no  doubt  that  he  would  send  me 
another  check  for  the  same  sum ;  for  nothing  could 
be  more  offensive  to  him  than  for  me  to  say  he  had 
drawn  the  check  when  he  was  not  in  condition  to 
do  business.  If  it  had  been  for  a  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  he  would  have  insisted  on  paying  the  money, 
rather  than  admit  the  mortifying  truth.  If  he  in- 
sisted on  compensating  me  with  this  large  sum  for 
my  discharge,  why  should  I  refuse  to  take  it?  I  was 
poor  and  proud.  The  money  looked  like  "  hush- 
money,"  and  I  was  afraid  it  would  burn  my  fingers. 

I  decided  to  write  to  the  colonel  a  true  statement 
in  regard  to  the  check,  without  alluding  to  any  other 
subject.  If  he  sent  me  another,  I  would  return  it, 
with  the  assurance  that  whatever  had  been  confiden- 
tial between  us  would  remain  so,  but  my  silence 
could  not  be  purchased.     I  was   not  the  magnate  of 


176  BEAKE   UP,   OE 

Centreport,  or  of  Middleport ;  but,  so  far  as  anything 
which  looked  dishonorable  or  belittling  was  con- 
cerned, I  was  as  proud  as  either  of  them.  Having 
reached  a  conclusion  which  was  quite  satisfactory  to 
me,  I  parted  with  Waddie,  and  walked  towards  the 
bank. 

It  is  said  that  the  evil  one  is  always  near  when 
you  speak  of  him ;  but  it  is  more  true  that  the  angels 
are  near  when  you  think  of  them.  As  I  walked 
along  I  met  Captain  Portman,  of  whom  I  had  thought 
several  times  while  at  work  in  the  garden,  and  whom 
I  intended  to  visit  if  my  involuntary  vacation  was 
prolonged.  He  invited  me  to  dine  with  him  at  the 
hotel,  and  we  were  on  our  way  thither,  when  Wad- 
die  Wimpieton,  driving  one  of  his  father's  horses, 
drew  mo  in  the  street  beside  us. 

"  I  want  you,  Wolf,"  said  he,  in  excited  tones. 

"What's  the  matter?"  I  inquired. 

"  Jump  in,  and  I  will  tell  you,"  he  replied,  impa- 
tiently. 

"I  have  just  accepted  an  invitation  to  dine  with 
Captain  Portman,"  I  added. 

"Perhaps  he  will  be  kind  enough  to  excuse  you 
to-day." 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  177 

"  Certainly,  if  you  desire,"  said  my  friend,  in  a  low 
tone. 

"  I  will  return,  if  possible,"  I  answered,  as  I  jumped 
into  the  buggy  with  Waddie. 

I  was  satisfied  that  something  important  had  hap- 
pened, and  I  was  curious  to  know  what  it  was. 

"  The  Ucayga  is  aground  in  the  Horse  Shoe  Chan- 
nel ! "  said  Waddie,  as  he  started. 

"  Indeed !  I  am  very  sorry  to  hear  it,"  I  replied ; 
and  my  first  thought  was  of  Van  Wolter,  who  had 
all  my  sympathy  in  his  misfortune. 

"It's  so.  She  went  on  this  morning,  at  a  little 
after  nine,  and  they  have  been  at  work  ever  since, 
trying  to  get  her  off." 

"  I  am  sorry  for  the  captain." 

"  He  will  kill  the  line  in  a  month,"  replied  Waddie, 
fretfully.  "He  missed  his  connection  yesterday,  and 
now  the  boat  is  aground." 

"  Van  Wolter  is  a  first-rate  man." 

"  He's  a  first-rate  man,  but  he  isn't  fit  for  captain  " 

"  I  don't  know  about  that.  The  Horse  Shoe  Chan- 
nel is  all  that  troubles  him." 

"  Well,  he  must  go  through  there  in  order  to  be  on 
12 


178  BEAKE    UP,   OE 

time.  He  lost  the  trains  yesterday  by  going  round 
the  South  Shoe." 

"But  where  are  you  going?"  I  inquired,  for  Wad- 
die  had  turned  his  horse,  and  was  driving  furiously 
towards  the  steamboat  wharf. 

"I  want  you  to  go  up  and  get  her  off." 

"  Me  ! "  I  exclaimed.  "  I  don't  know  that  I  can 
get  her  off." 

"I  know  *  you  can,"  added  Waddie,  confidently. 
"  She  will  stay  there  till  doomsday  if  you  don't  get 
her  off." 

"  O,  come,  "Waddie,  you  are  rather  extravagant  in 
your  ideas,"  I  protested.  "  If  Captain  Van  Wolter 
cannot  get  her  off,  I  shall  not  be  likely  to  succeed 
any  better." 

"  You  can  get  her  off,  if  you  will.  Everybody 
says  you  can.  The  passengers  are  still  on  board,  as 
mad  as  maniacs  at  the  detention.  They  say  they 
will  never  go  in  the  Ucayga  again  till  you  are  re- 
stored." 

"You  are  making  it  rather  strong,  Waddie." 

"I'm  not!  By  the  great  horn  spoon,  I'm  only 
telling  you  just  what  the  messenger  that  came  down 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  179 

for  assistance  says.  They  are  firing  up  the  old  tow- 
boat,  and  you  must  go  down  with  me  in  her." 

"I  am  willing  to  go,  so  far  as  I  am  concerned, 
though  it  is  rather  embarrassing  to  have  so  much  ex- 
pected of  a  fellow  as  you  require  of  me.  What  does 
your  father  say  ?  " 

"  I  haven't  seen  him.  He  has  gone  down  to  Gulf- 
port,  I  believe.  I  was  unanimously  elected  president 
of  the  Steamboat  Company,  and  I  am  going  to  get 
her  out  of  the  scrape  without  waiting  the  return  of 
my  father,"  continued  Waddie,  earnestly. 

"  I  am  not  willing  to  go  down  without  his  knowl- 
edge and  consent,  especially  if  there  is  any  dis- 
satisfaction among  the  passengers.  Your  father  might 
say  I  went  down  to  make  trouble.  If  he  wishes  me 
to  go,  I  will." 

"But  he  is  not  here." 

"  He  will  be  back,  perhaps,  before  the  tow-boat  is 
ready  to  start.     She  can't  get  off  under  an  hour." 

"Very  well;  I  will  see  him." 

"  In  the  mean  time,  I  will  go  over  to  Middleport. 
I  will  return  by  half  past  two." 

Reluctantly  he  consented  to  my  plan ;  and  I  bor- 


180  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

rowed  the  Raven  of  him,  in  which  to  cross  the  lake. 
I  was  willing  to  believe,  with  Waddie,  that  the 
steamboat  line  would  be  ruined  in  a  short  time  if 
these  accidents  were  repeated.  I  was  sorry  for  poor 
Yan  Wolter,  and  I  could  not  imagine  how  he  had 
contrived  to  get  aground.  It  did  not  seem  to  me  I 
could  have  done  so  if  I  had  tried.  I  was  going  over 
to  Midclleport  for  a  purpose.  The  tow-boat  on  which 
they  were  getting  up  steam  was  a  wheezy  old  thing, 
and  I  was  confident  she  could  do  nothing  to  help  the 
Ucayga  out  of  her  trouble,  even  if  they  had  anybody 
on  board  who  knew  the  channel  well  enough  to  get  her 
through  the  passage  to  the  place  where  the  Ucayga  lay. 
The  Horse  Shoe  Channel  had  never  been  used  by 
steamers  till  I  took  the  Ucayga  through  it.  There 
was  hot  a  pilot  on  the  lake  who  was  familiar  with  its 
hearings  except  Van  Wolter  and  myself.  As  the 
unfortunate  boat  had  taken  the  ground  in  going 
dowm  the  lake,  and  at  the  point  where  the  channel 
bends  between  the  Horse  Shoe  and  the  North  Shoe, 
it  was  necessary  to  approach  her  in  the  same  way, 
for  she  could  only  be  hauled  off  the  shoal  in  the 
oj>posite  direction  from  that  she  had  gone  upon  it. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  181 

I  crossed  the  lake,  and  hastened  to  the  house  of 
Major  Toppleton.  I  saw  Tommy  first,  and  told  him 
the  news.  A  year  before  he  would  have  rejoiced  at 
it ;  now  he  was  apparently  sorry.  I  told  him  that 
the  accident  afforded  a  splendid  opportunity  for  his 
father  to  do  a  magnanimous  deed.  He  listened  to 
me  with  deep  interest,  while  I  proposed  that  the 
Ruoara,  the  railroad  boat  which  arrived  from  Ilitaca 
at  half  past  two,  should  go  down  to  the  assistance  of 
the  Ucayga.  It  would  be  returning  "good  for  evil;"  it 
would  be  an  illustration  of  the  divine  precept,  "  Love 
your  enemies."  Tommy  was  delighted  with  the  sug- 
gestion, but  he  was  doubtful  whether  his  father  would 
consent  to  it.  We  went  together  to  see  him.  He 
laughed  at  us  at  first ;  but  we  argued  the  case  very 
earnestly,  and  were  assisted  by  Mrs.  Toppleton  and 
Grace.  We  carried  the  point  at  last,  and  he  wrote 
an  order  placing  the  boat  at  my  disposal  for  three 
hours,  for  she  must  return  in  season  to  take  the  pas- 
sengers up  the  lake.  It  was  nearly  two  when  I 
embarked  in  the  Raven  to  cross  back  to  Centreport. 
Waddie  was  on  the  wharf,  very  nervous,  when  I 
arrived. 


182  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"  I  have  seen  my  father,"  said  he,  as  soon  as  I  came 
within  hailing  distance  of  him. 

"What  does  he  say?"  I  asked,  as  I  came  up  to 
the  wharf. 

"He  would  not  say  anything  about  you,  but  he 
told  me  I  might  get  the  boat  off  the  best  way  I 
could ;  and  I  am  going  to  have  you  do  it." 

"  I  am  satisfied  with  this  arrangement,"  I  answered, 
and  proceeded  to  explain  the  provision  I  had  made 
on  the  other  side  to  meet  the  emergency. 

The  tow-boat  was  all  ready,  and  Waddie  was  im- 
patient to  be  off.  I  told  him  to  send  her  along,  and 
we  should  overtake  her  before  she  reached  the  chan- 
nel. We  crossed  at  once  to  Middleport  in  the 
Raven,  for  the  Kuoara  was  coming,  a  little  ahead  of 
her  time.  The  order  was  delivered  to  the  captain, 
and  in  a  short  time  the  boat  was  headed  down  the 
lake.  From  the  statement  of  Waddie  I  knew  just 
wThere  the  TJcayga  lay.  Van  Wolter  had  hugged  the 
shore  a  little  too  closely  in  going  round  the  bend  of 
the  channel,  and  had  run  his  bow  into  the  sand.  I 
used  all  my  time  in  studying  the  situation,  and  the 
means  to  be  used  for  getting  the  boat  off,  and  I  was 


THE    YOUNG  PEACEMAKERS.  183 

reasonably  confident  that  I  should  be  able  to  realize 
Waddie's  high  hope  of  nay  ability. 

When  we  passed  the  tow-boat,  I  told  Waddie  to 
send  her  round  the  Horse  Shoe,  and  let  her  come 
up  the  channel  from  the  north,  because  her  captain 
could  not  take  her  through  the  narrow  passage.  I 
took  the  wheel  of  the  Ruoara,  and  backed  her 
through  the  channel  myself,  stopping  her  wheels  just 
astern  of  the  grounded  steamer.  I  then  took  a  jolly- 
boat,  with  a  couple  of  deck  hands  to  row,  and 
hastened  to  examine  the  position  of  the  steamer. 
Waddie  went  with  me,  because  he  was  too  nervous, 
to  remain  idle  while  anything  was  going  on. 

The  position  of  the  Ucayga  had  been  correctly 
described  to  me.  She  had  run  her  bow  upon  the 
sands  which  bordered  the  sides  of  the  channel,  and 
was  listed  over  on  the  port  side.  As  my  boat  pulled 
towards  her  bow,  the  crowd  of  passengers  on  board 
of  her  rushed  forward  to  see  what  was  to  be  done. 

"  Three  cheers  for  Captain  Wolf  Penniman ! " 
shouted  some  one  on  the  deck;  and  the  cheers  were 
given  with  a  will  that  confounded  me ;  for,  as  I  have 
said  twenty  times  before,  I  am  a  modest  man,  and 
applause  embarrasses  me. 


184  BRAKE   UP,   OR 

I  continued  my  survey  of  the  position  of  the  Ucay- 
ga,  as  though  I  did  not  understand  the  cheers ;  but 
they  were  repeated,  and  I  was  obliged  to  take  off  my 
cap  and  acknowledge  the  salute,  which  seemed  to 
satisfy  my  friends.  I  then  went  on  board  the  steam- 
er, to  consult  with  Captain  Van  Wolter. 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  185 


CHAPTER    XVII. 


AN   ACT    OF    COURTESY. 


"^-^APTAIN"  PENNIMAN,  I  have  been  tempted 
V_y  to  jump  overboard  and  drown  myself,"  said 
Yan  Wolter,  as  he  grasped  my  hand  when  I  stepped 
on  board  of  the  Ucayga. 

His  face  was  the  impersonation  of  abject  misery, 
and  I  realized  that  he  was   suffering  intensely. 

"Don't  take  it  so  hard,  captain,"  I  replied,  press- 
ing his  hand.  "Accidents  do  happen  to  the  best 
of  men." 

"I  am  ruined!"  groaned  he. 

"  Not  at  all !  There  is  no  ruin  about  it.  How 
did  it  happen?" 

"I  hardly  know.  I  suppose  I  gave  her  a  little 
too  much  helm,  and  she   got  to  swinging." 

"Did   you  stop  her  wheels?" 

"  Yes ;  but  I  had  to  hug  the  port  side  to  keep 
her  from  swinging,  and  then  she  ran  on." 


186  BRAKE    UP,   OB 

"She  has  gone  on  pretty  hard,  I  see." 

"Yes,  she  has;  I  have  done  everything  I  could 
to  haul  her  off;  but  she  sticks   tight." 

"You  had  nothing  to  work  with,  and  you  could 
hardly  expect  to  get  her  off.  But  what  have  you 
done?"  I  inquired. 

"  I  have  doubled  up  all  the  hawsers,  and  carried 
them  ashore  to  that  tree  on  the  Shooter.  Then  we 
heaved  on  the  capstan,  till  the  hawser  parted.  But 
I  have  tied  the  parts  together,  and  we  were  going 
to  try  again  just  as   you  came." 

"All  right.     That's  a  good   idea,"  I  added. 

"But  I  don't  see  what  you  can  do  with  that  boat 
in  the  Horse  Shoe  Channel.  If  you  attempt  to  haul 
us  off  with  her,  you  must  keep  her  in  the  deep 
water,  and  that  will    only  pull  us  on  the  harder." 

"  I  think  we  can  manage  that,"  I  replied,  moving 
towards  the  engine-room,  where  my  father  was  in 
charge. 

The  passengers  crowded  around  me,  and  not  a 
few  of  them  were  unkind  enough  to  say  things 
which  must  have  wounded  the  feelings  of  Van  Wol- 
ter.     I   found    that   my  father    had   kept   steam   up, 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  187 

and  I  told  him  in  brief  the  plan  upon  which  I  in- 
tended to  operate.  I  have  said  before  that  I  had 
always  been  a  diligent  student  in  scientific  subjects, 
especially  in  the  department  of  mechanics  and  ma- 
chinery. I  am  confident  now  that  I  could  never 
have  taken  the  Ucayga  through  the  narrow  and 
curving  channel  of  the  Horse  Shoe  without  the  in- 
formation thus  obtained;  and  it  was  the  want  of 
this  scientific  knowledge  which  had  caused  Yan 
Wolter  to  run  the  boat  on  the  shore.  He  knew 
the  channel,  and  had  the  bearings,  but  he  had  made 
his  blunder  in  handling  the  boat. 

"  Now,  captain,  we  will  go  to  work,"  said  I.  "  Let 
your  men  bring  that   hawser  to  the  shaft." 

He  promptly  followed  my  directions,  without  ask- 
ing any  questions. 

"Pass  the  rope  under  and  over  the  shaft.  Give 
it   about  three   turns,"  I  continued. 

"I  see  the  idea,"  replied  Van  Wolter;  "but  I 
am   afraid  the  hawser  will  part." 

"  You  must  not  let  it  part.  If  it  strains  too  hard, 
ease  it  olF,"  I  answered,  giving  him  a.  fuller  explana* 
tion   of  my  plan. 


188  BRAKE    UP,    OK 

Having  seen  the  hawser  properly  adjusted,  I  re- 
turned to  the  jolly-boat  at  the  bow.  While  I  was 
engaged  at  the  shaft,  Waddie  had  been  talking  with 
the  passengers,  and  as  he  joined  me,  I  heard  him 
assure  a  group  of  them  that  I  should  be  restored 
to  my  former  position. 

"You  must  not  be  too  fast,  "Waddie,"  said  I,  as 
the  boat  pulled  towards  the  tug,  which  had  by  this 
time  arrived  at  the  upper  end  of  the  channel. 

"I  am  not  too  fast." 

"I  think  you  are.  You  are  very  kind;  but  I  am 
not  sure  that  your  promises  can  be  redeemed." 

"If  they  cannot  be,  the  Steamboat  Line  is  ruined. 
The  passengers  say  they  will  never  go  in  the  Ucayga 
again  while  she  is  under  her  j^resent  management; 
and  I  don't  blame  them  either,"  added  Waddie, 
warmly. 

"But  I  am  not  sure  that  your  father  will  con- 
sent to  any  change." 

"He  must  consent." 

We  boarded  the  tug-boat,  which  was  plentifully 
supplied  with  hawsers  for  towing  canal-boats.  I 
ran  her  under  the  starboard  quarter  of  the  TTcayga, 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  189 

and  carried  off  a  stout  rope,  which  was  made  fast 
to  a  big  cleat  on  deck.  I  pointed  out  a  barn  on 
the  main  shore,  and  directed  the  captain  to  run  for 
it  when  I  gave  him  the  signal. 

Taking  one  of  the  tow-boat's  heaviest  hawsers 
into  the  boat,  the  end  of  which  had  been  made  fast 
at  the  stern  of  the  Ucayga,  I  carried  it  to  the 
Ruoara,  where  it  was  secured.  By  the  several  ar- 
rangements I  had  made,  four  different  forces  were 
to  act  upon  the  grounded  steamer  —  her  own  pad- 
dles, the  hawser  on  her  shaft,  made  fast  to  the  tree 
on  the  Shooter,  the  line  to  the  tow-boat,  and  the 
one  to  the  Ruoara.  The  last  two,  however,  were  to 
form  a  compound  force.  The  tug-boat  was  to  pull 
at  right  angles  with  the  keel  of  the  Ucayga,  while 
the  Ruoara  was  to  act,  at  an  acute  angle,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  keel.  The  latter  line  would 
haul  her  more  on  the  sand,  while  the  former  would 
pull  her  square  off!  The  resultant  of  these  two 
forces  would  carry  her  in  the  direction  opposite 
that  in  which  she  had  run  on  the  bank.  The  haw- 
ser fastened  to  the  tree,  and  the  Ucayga's  wheels, 
would  both  act  in  the  same  direction. 


190  BRAKE    UP,  OB 

Returning  to  the  jolly-boat  again,  I  took  position 
near  the  grounded  steamer,  where  the  captains  of 
the  three  boats  could  see  me,  I  had  told  the  mate 
of  the  Ruoara  to  steer  for  a  point  which  would 
keep  him  in  the  channel.  At  the  word  from  me, 
all  three  steamers  were  to  start  their  wheels,  the 
Ucayga  back,  and  the  other  two  forward, 

"Are  you   all  ready?"   I   shouted. 

"All  ready,"  replied  the  captains,  one  after  an- 
other. 

"Go  ahead!"  I  called. 

I  confess  that  my  heart  beat  wildly  as  the  wheels 
of  the  three  steamers  began  to  turn.  I  had  laid 
my  plan  very  carefully,  and  a  minute  more  was  to 
decide  whether  it  was  success  or  failure.  The  haw- 
ser to  the  tree  straightened,  strained,  and  groaned, 
and  the  water  splashed  and  rolled  behind  the  wheels 
of  the  boat. 

"She  moves!"  cried  Captain  Van  Wolter;  and  I 
thought  I  could  hear  the  keel  grate  upon  the  sand, 

The  moment  the  Ucayga  felt  the  full  force  of  the 
power  exerted,  she  slid  off  the  bank  and  righted. 
The  crowd  of  passengers  on  deck  gave  three  deaf- 
ening cheers. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  191 

"Stop  her!"  I  shouted,  at  the  top  of  my  lungs, 
at  the  same  time  making  violent  gestures  to  the 
three   boats. 

The  order  was  promptly  obeyed. 

"  Go  ahead,  Ucayga ! "  I  continued,  fearful  that  she 
would  take  the  ground  on  the  other  side  of  the 
channel. 

Yan  Wolter  started  the  wheels,  and  checked  her; 
but  she  lay  obliquely  across  the  channel,  where  it 
was  impossible  to  start  her. 

"Cast  off  the  hawser  on  the  quarter!"  I  called 
to  Yan  Wolter,  as  my  boat  pulled  under  the  Ucayga's 
counter.  "  Go  ahead,  Ruoara ! "  I  added,  to  the  cap- 
tain  of  this  boat. 

The  Ruoara  went  ahead  until  I  told  her  to  stop, 
and  the  effect  was  to  haul  the  stern  of  the  Ucayga 
round,  so  that  she  lay  square  in  the  channel.  After 
the  hawser  to  the  tree  had  been  cast  off,  I  went 
on  board  of  her,  and  hastening  to  my  accustomed 
place  in  the  wheel-house,  I  started  her  ahead,  tak- 
ing the  helm  myself.  As  she  had  no  headway  on, 
it  was  not  necessary  to  hug  the  port  side  of  the 
channel    as    closely   as    usual  —  an    apparent    neglect 


192  BRAKE   UP,   OR 

which  bothered  Van  Wolter.  I  explained  to  him 
the  reasons  for  my  action,  assuring  him  that  the 
only  difficulty  in  going  through  the  passage  was  in 
correctly  providing  for  the  swing  of  the  boat. 

"I  shall  never  take  her  through  there  again," 
said  he. 

"You  will  soon  get  the  hang  of  it,"  I  rej:>lied,  as 
I  rang  to   stop  her.     "I  will  help  you." 

"Are  you  not  going  down  with  us?" 

"No;  I  must  return  to  Centreport.  You  can  go 
round  the  Horse  Shoe  on  your  up  trip,"  I  answered, 
as  I  hastened  to  the  jolly-boat,  which  was  towing 
astern. 

The  passengers  greeted  me  very  warmly,  and  said 
ever  so  many  complimentary  things;  but  I  did  not 
want  to  hear  any  of  them.  I  assured  them  that 
they  were  in  season  for  the  afternoon  trains;  and 
Waddie  and  I  leaped  into  the  boat,  which  pulled 
for  the  Kuoara.  As  we  passed  the  tug-boat,  she 
was  directed  to  return  to  Centreport.  I  piloted  the 
steamer  in  which  I  had  come  up  out  of  the  narrow 
passage,  and  we  arrived  at  Middleport  in  ample  sea- 
son for  her  to  make  her  trip  up  the  lake. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  193 

Major  Toppleton  and  Tommy  were  on  the  wharf 
when  we  landed,  and  I  informed  them  of  the  suc- 
cess of  the  plan  we  had  adopted.  The  father  seemed 
to  be  a  little  nervous;  and  I  think  he  was  really 
pleased  with  what  he  had  done,  though  his  pride 
would  not  permit  him  to  say  so. 

"Do  you  think  your  father  would  do  as  much  for 
me,  Waddie,  if  one  of  my  boats  got  aground?" 
said  he,  after  we  had  discussed   the  matter. 

"  I  am  afraid  not,  sir ;  but  I  would,"  replied  Waddie. 

"Give  my  regards  to  your  father,  and  tell  him  I 
am  glad  the  Ucayga  has  got  off,"  added  the  major, 
laughing,  so  that  we  could  not  tell  whether  he  was 
in  jest  or  in   earnest. 

"I  will,  with  pleasure,  sir,"  answered  Waddie,  as 
the  major  left  the  spot. 

"Does  he  mean  it?"  asked  Waddie,  after  musing 
a  moment. 

"I  don't  know,"  I  rej)lied. 

"Neither  do  I,"  said  Tommy;  "but  I  have  some- 
times   thought    that,    if   Colonel    Wimpleton    would 
meet  him   half  way,  he  would   be   glad   to  heal   up 
all  the  old  sores." 
13 


194  BEAKE   UP,   OE 

"Well,  I  must  go  home,"  continued  Waddie. 
"Good  by." 

"Hold  on;  I  am  going  over  with  you,"  I  inter- 
posed. "I  have  your  father's  check,  which  I  intend- 
ed to  draw,  though  I  suppose  the  bank  is  closed  by 
this  time." 

"No  matter  if  it  is.  You  shall  have  your  money, 
if  they  have  to  open  the  bank  for  you." 

I  went  over  with  bim  in  the  Raven,  more  be- 
cause I  wanted  to  hear  what  people  said  on  the 
other  side  than  because  I  was  anxious  to  get  my 
money  that  day.  Colonel  Wimpleton  was  on  the 
wharf,  talking  with  the  captain  of  the  tug-boat, 
which  had  just  arrived.  He  had  heard  the  result 
of  the  efforts  to  relieve  the  Ucayga  by  this  time, 
and  the  captain  appeared  to  be  giving  him  the  de- 
tails of  the  movement.  He  saw  me  as  we  landed, 
but  he  took  no  notice  of  me. 

"Major  Toppleton  sends  his  regards  to  you,  and 
says  he  is  glad  the  Ucayga  has  been  got  off,"  said 
Waddie. 

"What!"  exclaimed  the  magnate,  his  cheeks  red- 
dening. 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  195 

His  son  repeated  the  message,  and  I  waited  with 
intense  interest  to  observe  the  effect  upon  him.  To 
my  surprise,  he  did  not  go  into  a  passion,  though 
I  saw  him  frown,  —  perhaps  from  the  force  of  habit. 
For  my  own  part,  I  could  not  see  how  the  colonel, 
after  this  kind  and  conciliatory  act  by  his  rival, 
could  say  or  think  any  harsh  thing.  It  was  true 
we,  the  young  peacemakers,  had  rather  extorted  the 
courteous  deed  from  the  major;  but  it  had  been 
done. 

"  Did  you  pay  for  the  use  of  the  boat  ? "  asked 
the  colonel,  after  frowning  and  pursing  up  his  lips 
for  a  moment,  as  if  to  hide  his  vexation. 

"No,  sir;  certainly  not.  It  would  have  been  lit- 
tle less  than  an  insult  to  offer  to  pay  for  what  was 
done  simply  as  an  act  of  courtesy." 

Colonel  Wimpleton  was  evidently  very  much  trou- 
bled ;  but,  instead  of  pursuing  the  matter  any  farther, 
he  began  to  question  the  captain  of  the  tow-boat 
in  regard  to  the  event  of  the  day.  I  did  not  con- 
sider myself  justified  in  listening  to  the  conversa- 
tion, and  so  I  walked  up  the  wharf.  Waddie  fol- 
lowed me. 


196  BEAKE   UP,   OE 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  CHECK. 

"T  WILL  go  with  you  to  the  bank,  and  see  that 
_J_  you  get  your  money,  Wolf,"  said  Waddie. 
"What  does  your  father  think  about  the  boat?" 
"I  don't  know.     It  is  impossible  to  tell  what  he 
thinks     about     anything   of  this    kind.      If   he   had 
known  of  it  in  season,  he  would  not  have  permitted 
us  to  ask  the  major  for  the  use  of  the  Ruoara.     He 
would"  have  let  the  Ucayga  rot  in  the  sand  before  he 
would  have  done  it." 

"Major   Toppleton   stands   first   rate,  just  now,"  I 
added. 

"  He  would  make  up,  I  think,  if  my  father  would." 

We  discussed  the  matter  on  our  way  to  the  bank, 

and  both  of  us  were  hopeful  that  some  good  would 

come  out  of  the  event  of  the   day.     The  bank   was 

closed  j   but  the   cashier   was  in  the   room,  at   work 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  197 

upon  his  books  and  papers.  I  handed  him  ray  check. 
Waddie  requested  hini  to  pay  it,  and  then  walked 
into  another  room. 

"I  paid  a  pretty  large  check  in  your  favor  to-day, 
Captain  Penniraan,"  said  he,  with  a  smile,  as  he  took 
the  one  I  gave  him. 

"  In  my  favor ! "  I  exclaimed,  confounded  by  the 
statement,  and  rather  inclined  to  think  he  was  quiz- 
zing me. 

"  Yes ;   ten  thousand  dollars." 

"You  don't  mean  so!" 

"  Certainly  I  do,"  answered  the  cashier,  very  good- 
naturedly,  I  thought,  considering  that  there  was  a 
suspicion  of  something  wrong  about  the  matter. 

"  I  think  you  are  joking,  sir." 

"Not  at  all.  I  am  entirely  serious,"  he  added, 
still  smiling. 

I  was  not  intimate  enough  with  the  bank  officer  to  f 
be  on  joking  terms  with  him ;  but  the  persistent  smile 
he  wore,  after  I  had  intimated  that  I  knew  nothing 
about  the  check,  seemed  to  indicate  that  he  did  not 
mean  what  he  said.  I  had  destroyed  the  check 
which    Colonel  Wimpleton   gave  me,  and  of  course 


198  BKAKE   IIP,   OE 

it  was  not  possible  that  the  cashier  had  paid  it.  I 
was  quite  sure  that  I  had  burned  the  valuable  paper, 
and  even  scattered  the  tinder  after  it  had  been  de- 
stroyed. 

"Am  I  to  understand,  sir,  that  you  paid  a  check 
for  ten  thousand  dollars  in  my  favor?"  I  demanded, 
rather  warmly. 

"  That  is  precisely  what  I  did,"  answered  the 
cashier,  squarely. 

"And  to  me?" 

"  Certainly  not  to  you  in  person." 

"Who  presented  it?" 

«  Yan  Wolter." 

"What,  the  mate  of  the  Ucayga  —  or  rather  the 
captain?"  I  continued,  beginning  to  be  somewhat 
excited. 

"  No ;  to  his  son  —  Kick  Van  Wolter,"  replied  the 
cashier,  who  obstinately  persisted  in  being  calm,  and 
'n  wearing  a  smiling  face,  notwithstanding  my  con- 
duct must  have  convinced  him  that  something  was 
wrong. 

"  I  can  only  say  that  somebody  has  been  swindling 
you." 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  199 

"  O,  no,  I  think  not.  Of  course  I  should  not  pay 
such  a  large  sum  to  a  young  man  like  Nick  Van  Wol- 
ter  without  making  sure  that  there  was  no  mistake. 
I  took  the  check  to  Colonel  Wimpleton,  who  told 
me  it  was  all  right,  ordered  me  to  pay  it,  and  say 
nothing  about  it  to  any  one,"  replied  the  official, 
whose  name  was  Barnes,  with  a  very  significant 
smile. 

"  It's  a  fraud,  sir ! "  I  protested,  vehemently. 

"Please  don't  speak  so  loud.  Waddie  is  in  the 
directors'  room,  and  may  hear  you.  I  understood, 
from  what  Colonel  Wimpleton  said,  that  this  affair 
was  to  be  private  between  you  and  him." 

"  Private !  But  I  tell  you  I  sent  no  check,  and  I 
have  not  seen  the  money,"  I  replied. 

"  You  need  not  be  afraid  of  me,  Captain  Penniman. 
The  secret  is  safe  with  me.  Nick  said  you  sent  him 
because  you  did  not  wish  any  one  to  know  that  the 
colonel  paid  you  so  much  money." 

"  I  don't  understand  you,  sir.  I  have  never  spoken 
a  word  to  Nick  about  a  check,  much  less  sent  him 
to  cash  one  for  me.  I  tell  you  there  is  something 
wrong  about  this  business." 


200  BRAKE    TIP,    OR 

"  What's  the  matter  ? "  demanded  Waddie,  return- 
ing to  the  banking-room.  "  Can't  you  pay  the  check, 
Mr.  Barnes?" 

"  Certainly,  Waddie ;  there  is  no  trouble  about 
that.  We  were  speaking  of  another  matter,"  an- 
swered the  cashier.     "  Here  is  the  evening  paper." 

Waddie  took  the  paper,  and  returned  to  the 
directors'  room. 

"I  do  not  see  how  there  can  be  anything  wrong 
about  the  business,  when  Colonel  Wimpleton  declared 
that  the  check  was  good,  and  ordered  me  to  pay  it." 

"But  I  say,  sir,  so  far  as  I  am  concerned,  the 
business  is  all  wrong.  I  had  nothing  whatever  to  do 
with  it,  and  don't  know  anything  about  it." 

"  Let  me  ask  you  one  question?  Did  or  did  not 
Colonel  Wimpleton  give  you  a  check  for  ten  thou- 
sand dollars?"  continued  Mr.  Barnes,  who  had  be- 
gun to  be  a  little  perplexed  himself. 

"He  did,  but—" 

"Very  well;   and  I  paid  it." 

"No,  sir;  you  did  not.  I  burned  the  check,  and 
took  pains  to  scatter  even  the  ashes  of  it.  I  don't 
understand  it,  sir" 


THE   TOUXG   PEACEMAKERS.  201 

"I  don't  know  that  it  makes  any  difference  whether 
you  understand  it  or  not.  You  acknowledge  that 
the  colonel  gave  you  a  check  for  ten  thousand  dollars. 
I  have  paid  one  for  that  amount,  in  your  favor,  and 
the  colonel  examined  the  check,  and  declared  that  it 
was  all  right." 

"  That  may  satisfy  you,  but  it  does  not  satisfy  me," 
I  added. 

"It  is  plain  enough,  Captain  Penniman,  that  your 
relations  with  our  friend  the  colonel  are  disturbed. 
He  is  as  careful  to  conceal  the  existence  of  this  check 
as  you  are.  It  seems  to  me  nothing  more  need  be 
said  about  it.  The  secret  is  safe  in  my  keeping,  for 
I  do  not  even  enter  your  name  on  the  books  of  the 
bank.  The  check  is  cancelled,  and  will  be  returned 
to  Colonel  Wimpleton  on  the  first  of  the  month, 
when  I  balance  his  account." 

"  Mr.  Barnes,  do  you  regard  me  as  a  liar  ? "  I  de- 
manded, indignantly. 

"Certainly  not." 

"Then  I  say  again,  that  I  have  sent  no  check  to 
the  bank,  and  I  have  not  received  the  money  you 
paid." 


202  BRAKE    UP,   OR 

"  That  is  your  lookout." 

"Will  you  let  me  see  the  check?" 

"  Of  course." 

He  took  the  paper  from  a  drawer,  and  handed  it 
to  me.  There  was  no  doubt  in  my  mind  that  it  was 
a  genuine  check.  The  truth  suddenly  flashed  upon 
me.  This  was  the  first  check  which  Colonel  Wimple- 
ton  had  drawn  at  the  hotel ;  the  one  which  had  disap- 
peared, and  for  which  I  had  made  such  diligent 
search  in  and  around  the  house.  I  came  to  the  con- 
clusion at  the  time  that  the  magnate  had  torn  it  up 
with  the  pledge  I  had  written,  though  I  had  been 
unable  to  find  any  of  the  pieces. 

"  Do  you  understand  it  now  ? "  asked  the  cashier. 

"I  am  beginning  to  have  an  idea,"  I  replied,  re- 
turning to  him  the  cancelled  check.  "Where  may 
I  see  you  again  this  evening,  sir?" 

"At  my  house,"  he  replied,  indicating  the  locality 
of  it. 

I  was  afraid  to  detain  Waddie  any  longer,  and 
unwilling  to  intrust  him  with  his  father's  secret.  We 
walked  down  to  the  wharf  together,  and  there  I 
parted   with  him.     He  assured  me  that  on  the  next 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  203 

morning  I  should  be  called  to  the  command  of  the 
Ucayga  again. 

I  got  into  my  skiff;  but  I  could  not  go  home  with 
the  mystery  of  the  check  unsolved ;  and  I  sat  on  the 
thwart,  considering  the  circumstances  connected  with 
it.  I  recalled  all  the  events  of  my  visit  to  Grass 
Springs.  I  had  left  the  check  on  the  table  with  the 
paper  I  had  written.  The  colonel  tore  up  the  latter, 
and  threw  the  pieces  out  the  window,  while  I  was 
walking  back  and  forth  in  the  room.  I  then  followed 
him  to  the  bar-room,  where  he  had  procured  a  glass 
of  brandy.  He  wished  to  go  to  the  Horse  Shoe,  and 
insisted  that  I  should  accompany  him.  Happening 
to  think  of  the  check,  I  returned  to  the  room  for  it, 
but  could  not  find  it.  I  told  the  colonel  that  it  had 
disappeared,  and  I  went  out  doors  to  see  if  I  could 
identify  any  of  the  pieces.  While  I  was  looking  for 
them  I  met  Nick  Yan  Wolter.  When  I  returned  to 
the  colonel,  he  had  drawn  up  the  second  check. 

ISTick  was  at  the  hotel  while  I  was  in  the  room 
with  the  drunken  magnate.  He  told  me  he  had 
spoken  with  the  landlord  about  my  patient.  There- 
fore he  had  been  in  the  house.     It  was  possible,  and 


204  EEAKE    UP,   OR 

subsequent  events  rendered  it  probable,  that  he  had 
gone  into  the  colonel's  chamber  while  we  were  at  the 
bar.  Seeing  the  check  upon  the  table,  he  had  taken 
it.  This  was  the  only  theory  I  could  devise  to  ex- 
plain the  mystery.  But  all  this  could,  perhaps,  be 
demonstrated,  and  I  decided  to  see  Nick  at  once.  I 
hastened  to  his  father's  house.  On  my  way  I  could 
not  help  recalling  Waddie's  strong  saying,  that  Nick 
was  a  snake. 

I  knocked  at  the  door,  and  Mrs.  Yan  Wolter  an- 
swered the  summons ;  but  she  informed  me  that  her 
son  had  gone  up  to  Hitaca  by  the  afternoon  boat. 
He  expected  to  obtain  a  situation  there  as  clerk  in 
one  of  the  hotels,  and  had  taken  all  his  clothes  with 
him.  If  I  wanted  him,  she  would  send  for  him.  I 
left  the  house.  If  Nick  had  obtained  ten  thousand 
dollars,  he  would  not  be  likely  to  stay  long  in  Cen- 
treport.  I  walked  excitedly  to  the  house  of  the 
cashier ;  but  he  had  not  yet  returned  from  the  bank, 
and  I  sought  him  there. 

"Well,  captain,  have  you  obtained  any  light?"  he 
inquired,  as  I  entered. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  I  have.  Nick  Yan  Wolter  is  a  thief  and 
a  swindler!"  I  replied,  warmly. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  205 

"The  loss  comes  on  you,  and  not  on  the  bank," 
added  the  prudent  man  of  money. 

"  It  can  hardly  come  on  me,  since  I  never  had  the 
money  to  lose,  though  that  makes  but  little  difference. 
Something  must  be  done." 

"  Have  you  seen  Colonel  Wimpleton  ? " 

"No,  sir;  I  have  not.  As  you  suggested,  our  re- 
lations are  disturbed,"  I  replied. 

"He  is  at  home  this  evening,  and  you  certainly 
ought  to  inform  him  of  the  facts  in  this  case.  But  I 
cannot  see  how,  if  he  gave  you  a  check  for  ten  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  you  destroyed  it,  that  same  check 
could  have  been  presented  at  the  bank  to-day  for 
payment,"  said  Mr.  Barnes,  with  a  significant  smile. 
"It  seems  to  me  utterly  impossible." 

"It  was  not  the  same  check.  Colonel  "Wimpleton 
will  understand  that  part  of  the  story,  if  you  do  not. 
I  do  not  feel  at  liberty  to  explain  it ;  he  may,  if  he 
pleases.  I  will  write  a  note  to  him,  if  you  will  give 
me  pen  and  paper." 

The  cashier  gave  me  a  seat  at  his  desk,  and  I  wrote 
a  full  statement  of  what  I  had  done  with  the  check 
he  had  given  me,  adding  that  Nick  Van  Welter  had 


206  BRAKE   UP,    OK 

stolen  the  one  paid  that  day.  I  told  him  I  had  no 
desire  to  disobey  his  commands,  and  would  not  have 
done  so  under  any  other  circumstances.  I  concluded 
by  saying  that,  if  the  money  was  to  be  used  at  all,  it 
belonged  to  me.  I  should  consider  that  Kick  had 
stolen  It  from  me,  and  I  should  have  *him  arrested. 
I  proposed  to  pursue  him,  in  the  absence  of  any  direc- 
tions from  the  colonel.  I  should  be  at  the  bank  for 
half  an  hour,  and  would  receive  his  answer  there,  if 
he  wished  to  make  any  reply.  The  cashier  sent  the 
letter  by  the  porter  to  the  house  of  the  magnate. 

"  They  say  you  are  going  to  have  the  command  of 
the  steamer  again,  Captain  Penniman,"  said  Mr, 
Barnes,  after  the  messenger  had  gone. 

"I  don't  know  about  that;  I  don't  think  so  myself." 
"Van  "Wolter  don't  make  out  very  well." 
"  He  will  do  very  well  indeed,  except  in  the  Horse 
Shoe   Channel.     I  think  he  is  a  first-rate  man,  obli- 
ging and  reliable.     I  am  sorry  his  son  is  not  more 
like  him." 

"He  is  more  like  his  mother  than  his  father.  There 
has  been  a  great  deal  of  talk  about  Colonel  Wimple- 
ton  lately,"  added  the  cashier,  evidently  intending  to 
lead  the  conversation  into  that  channel. 


THE    YOTTNG    PEACEMAKERS.  207 

Fortunately  for  me,  —  for  I  was  not  willing  to  be 
questioned  in  regard  to  my  relations  with  the  great 
man,  —  the  messenger  returned  very  soon,  and  de- 
livered a  note  to  me.  Eagerly  I  opened  it,  and  found 
only  a  single  line :  "  I  will  see  you  in  my  library  im- 
mediately." This  was  entirely  satisfactory,  and  I 
hastened  to  his  house. 


208  BEAKE   UP,   OE 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

COLONEL    WIMPLETON   HUMILIATED. 

COLONEL  WIMPLETON  was  alone  in  his  libra- 
ry when  I  reached  the  house.  He  made  a 
gesture  towards  a  chair,  but  he  was  as  stiff  in  his 
manner  as  he  had  been  when  I  met  him  that  day 
in  the  street.  Yet,  in  spite  of  this  display  of  dig- 
nity, I  could  see  that  he  was  troubled.  He  looked 
rather  pale,  and  the  toddy-blossoms  on  his  nose  were 
in  stronger  contrast  than  usual  with  the  rest  of  his 
face.  If  I  read  him  right,  he  was  sorely  vexed  and 
perplexed. 

"I  received  your  note,  Wolf,"  said  he,  struggling, 
I  thought,  to  appear  colder  and  stiffer  than  he  real- 
ly felt.     "I  am  astonished   at   its  contents." 

"I  supposed  you  would   be,   sir,"  I  replied. 

"Am  I  to  believe  that  you  destroyed  the  check 
I  gave  you?"  demanded   he,  sternly. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKEES.  209. 

"That  is  the  simple   truth." 

"Wolf,  I  have  always  believed  you  were  honest, 
whatever  else  you  may  have  been;  but  this  story 
is  incredible." 

"  I  grant  that  it  looks  very  strange,  but  it  is  none 
the  less  true  because  it  is  strange.  You  remember 
that  you  wrote  two  checks  on  the  day  we  were  at 
the  hotel  in  Grass  Springs." 

"Of  course  I  remember  it,"  answered  he,  petulant- 
ly, as  though  he  deemed  the  question  an  intimation 
that  he  was  not  in  condition  at  the  time  to  re- 
member it.  "  I  tore  up  the  first  one,  by  accident, 
with  the  paper  you  wrote." 

"Well,  sir,  I  was  not  sure  at  the  time  that  you 
did  tear  up  the  first  one.  I  am  satisfied  now  that 
you  did  not.     I  could  not  find  a  single  piece  of  it." 

"Humph!   That   may  be." 

"Nick  Van  Wolter  was  at  the  hotel  that  day.  I 
met  him  in  the  street,  when  I  was  looking  for  the 
pieces  of  the   check." 

"When  you  sent  him  over —  No  matter  about 
that,     said  he,  suddenly  checking  himself. 

But  he  had  said  enough  to  assure  me  that  Nick 
14 


210  BRAKE   UP,    OB 

had  told  him  something;  and  I  was  now  willing  to 
believe  that  the  fellow  was  really  the  snake  Waddie 
had  declared  he  was. 

"I  met  him  in  the  street,"  I  continued,  without 
heeding  the  slip  the  magnate  had  made.  "He  told 
me  he  had  been  into  the  hotel,  and  had  seen  the 
landlord.  I  am  confident  he  went  into  the  room 
where  we  were,  and  took  the  check." 

"It  don't  look  probable." 

"You  wrote  the  check  in  a  book  you  carried  in 
your  pocket,"  I  proceeded,  hoping  I  should  be  able 
to  convince  him  of  the   truth   of   what  I  said. 

"I  did,"  he  replied,  taking  the  check-book  from 
his  pocket. 

"When   you  had  written  it,  you  tore  it  out?" 

"  Yes,  in  this  place ; "  and  he  pointed  out  the  leaf 
in  his  check-book,  on  which  he  had  made  the  mar- 
ginal memorandum.  "I  tore  the  first  check  from 
this  margin,  and  here  is  the  amount,  and  *  Steamer,' 
indicating  for    what   purpose  it  was  paid." 

"Where  is  the  place  from  which  you  tore  the 
second  check  ? "  I  asked,  anxiously. 

"As  the  second  was  a  duplicate,  I  wrote  it  at  the 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  211 

end  of  the  book,  and  made  no  memorandum  in  the 
margin,"  he  replied,  turning  to  one  of  the  last  leaves 
in   the  volume. 

"Now,  sir,  I  think  you  have  the  means  of  con- 
vincing yourself  that  it  was  the  first  check,  and  not 
the  second,  which  was  paid  at  the  bank  to-day,"  I 
continued.  "  That  margin,  where  you  tore  off  the 
first  check,  is  rather  rough  and  uneven.  The  edge 
of  the  check  will  correspond  to  it." 

"  "We  will  go  to  the  bank,  if  Mr.  Barnes  is  there," 
said  the  colonel,  more  interested  than  I  sivpposed  he 
would    be. 

We  walked  to  the  bank,  and  the  cashier  handed 
him  the  check.  The  edge  where  it  had  been  torn 
off  was  very  irregular,  and  the  colonel  adjusted  it 
against  the  margin.  It  exactly  fitted,  as  I  knew  it 
would,  and  he  could  not  escape  the  conclusion  that 
the  first,  and  not  the  second  check  had  been  used. 
I  felt  then  that  I  had  vindicated  my  veracity,  and 
I  was  satisfied.  The  magnate  told  the  cashier  that 
he  had  drawn  duplicate  checks,  and  believed  the 
first  had  been  destroyed ;  that  my  .story  was  true, 
in  short ;  but  he  wished  nothing  said.  He  then  told 
me  to  return  to  his  house  with  him. 


212  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"Wolf,  I  would  rather  give  ten  thousand  dollars 
than  have  this  matter  stirred  up,"  said  the  colonel, 
when  we  were  again  seated  in  the  library.  "It  has 
already  given  me  a  great  deal  of  trouble  and  un- 
easiness." 

"But  you  do  not  intend  to  let  Nick  Van  Wol- 
ter  run  away  with  ten  thousand  dollars  —  do  you?" 
I  inquired. 

"Has  he  run  away?" 

"Yes,  sir;  I  have  no  doubt  he  has.  His  mother 
says  he  has  gone  to  Hitaca  to  take  a  situation  in  a 
hotel,  and  carried  his  clothes  with  him;  but  I  war- 
rant he  will  not  stay  long  in  Hitaca." 

"He  is  a  scoundrel,  then." 

"  Undoubtedly  he  is." 

Colonel  Wimpleton  walked  up  and  down  the  room 
in  deep  thought.  I  did  not  know  then  what  trou- 
bled him;  but  I  learned  the  truth  before  morning. 

"What  can  be  done?''  he  asked,  pausing  before  me. 

"Pursue  and   arrest  him." 

The  great  man  pursed  up  his  lips,  and  did  not 
seem  to  like   the  advice. 

"That  would  stir  up  the  whole  affair,"  said  he. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  213 

"What  affair,  sir?"   I  asked. 

"He  stole  the  check  at  Grass  Springs.  I  should 
not  like  to  listen  to  the  testimony  which  would  be 
brought  forward  to  prove  that  Nick  was  there  that 
day,"  answered  the   colonel,   with   a  sickly  smile. 

"  We  need  not  arrest  him,  then.  You  can  com- 
pel him  to  give  up  the  money,"  I  suggested. 

"  Can  we   catch    him  ?  " 

"I  don't  think  he  got  away  from  Hitaca  last  night. 
The  train  south  leaves  at  twenty  minutes  past  seven. 
When  I  ran  the  Ucayga,  I  hurried  her  up  so  that 
we  were  in  season  for  it;  but  she  was  late  yester- 
day afternoon,  and  I  know  she  lost  it." 

"But  he  may  have  left  by  some  other  convey- 
ance." 

"There  is  no  other,  unless  he  took  a  private  ve- 
hicle. If  he  did  that,  we  can  easily  trace  him.  But 
I  think  he  will  take  the  eleven  o'clock  train,  south, 
to-morrow  forenoon.  He  will  not  expect  any  dis- 
covery at  once,  and  will  not  hurry  himself.  He 
knows  very  well  that  there  is  no  conveyance  to 
Hitaca  till  to-morrow  forenoon,  and  he  will  be  a 
hundred  miles  off  before  the  next  boat  arrives  there." 


214  BRAKE    UPr  OB 

"How  shall  we  get  there?  I  don't  like  to  drive 
twenty-five  miles  in  the  night.  I  am  not  very  well," 
replied    the   colonel. 

"  We  will  go  in  the  Belle  if  you  please.  You 
can  take  one  of  the  berths,  and  go  to  bed.  There 
is  a  good  breeze,  and  we  shall  be  in  Hitaca  in  three 
or  four   hours." 

"Very  well;  I  will  do  so.     Who  goes  with  you?" 

"Tom   Walton." 

"Is  it  necessary  that  he  should  go  with  you?" 

"No,  sir." 

"I  wish  to  talk  with  you  about  other  matters," 
he  added,  with  an  air  of  embarrassment,  "and  do 
not  wish  for  any  listeners." 

"I  will  be  alone  then,   sir." 

Fluttering  with  excitement,  I  left  him,  promising 
to  be  at  the  wharf  with  the  Belle  in  an  hour.  I 
crossed  the  lake,  found  Tom  Walton,  and  told  him 
I  wanted  the  boat  till  the  next  night.  Fortunately 
she  was  not  engaged,  though  a  gentleman  had  spoken 
about  a  cruise  up  the  lake  in  her.  Tom  went  down, 
and  put  her  in  order  for  the  trip,  while  I  went 
home    to    tell   my   father    and    mother   where  I  was 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  215 

going.  My  father  was  very  curious  to  know  what 
was  going  on;  but  I  could  only  stop  long  enough 
to  tell  him  that  I  thought  everything  was  coming 
around  right  again.  As  the  check  was  the  key  to 
all  the  other  secrets  between  the  colonel  and  myself, 
I  did   not  dare  allude   to  it. 

Sailing  the  Belle  across  the  lake,  I  found  Colonel 
Wimpleton  on  the  wharf,  muffled  in  his  overcoat. 
Tom  had  lighted  the  cabin,  and  it  was  all  ready 
for  the  reception  of  my  passenger;  but  he  preferred 
a  seat  with  me  in  the  standing-room.  Shoving  off, 
I  headed  the  boat  up  the  lake,  and  she  soon  began 
to  fly  over  the  waves,  under  the  influence  of  the 
fresh  north  wind.  Colonel  Wimpleton  was  silent 
for  a  time.  Since  I  first  met  him,  early  in  the 
evening,  I  had  been  impressed  by  his  altered  man- 
ner. Something  apparently  weighed  heavy  upon  his 
mind,  and  he  appeared  to  be  struggling,  with  the 
pride  of  his   character,  to  conceal  it. 

"  Wolf,  this  is  bad  business,"  said  he,  when  the 
Belle   was  approaching   Gulfport. 

"Bad  for  Nick  Van  Wolter,  sir,"  I  replied. 

"For  me  too,"  he  added,  after  a  long  pause.     "I 


216  BRAKE   TTP,   OR 

would  not  have  this  matter  stirred  up  for  double  the 
sum  Nick  has  stolen.  It  is  better  for  me  to  give 
you  another  check,  and  let  the  scoundrel  go." 

"I  have  no  claim  upon  you,  sir,  for  such  a  sum. 
You  are  very  generous,  and  I  ought  to  be  the  last 
one  to  impose  upon  your  kindness." 

"  Why  didn't  you  draw  the  check,  and  not  burn  it?" 

"  I  did  not  think  it  was  right  for  me  to  take  so 
much  money  under  the  circumstances.  Pardon  me, 
sir;   I  do  not  like  to  allude  to  the  matter  again." 

"If  you  had  drawn  the  check  the  next  day,  there 
would  have  been  no  trouble.  If  Nick  had  his  check 
then,  I  don't  see  why  he  did  not  collect  it." 

"I  haven't  been  over  to  Centreport  since  the  day 
I  was  dismissed,  and  perhaps  he  thought  it  would 
not  be  safe  to  present  it,  unless  he  knew  I  was  in 
town.  I  met  him  when  I  first  came  over,  and  he 
drew  the  check  as  soon  as  he  had  seen  me." 

"It  is  a  j)ity  you  burned  the  check,"  mused  the 
magnate. 

I  did  not  care  to  remind  him  of  the  unpleasant 
affair  at  Grass  Springs,  and  I  kept  still. 

"Wolf,  tell  me  candidly  why  you  burned  that 
check,"  said  he,  after  a  silence  of  several  minutes. 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  217 

"  I  did  not  think  it  was  right  for  me  to  use  it.  If 
my  father  or  mother  found  it  upon  me,  I  could  not 
tell  how  I  came  by  it.  I  might  lose  it,  and  some 
one  else  get  the  money,"  I  answered. 

"  But  why  did  you  think  it  was  not  right  for  you 
to  use  it?"  he  inquired. 

"  I  do  not  like  to  explain." 

"  Do  so ;  I  will  not  be  angry." 

"  Well,  sir,  I  did  not  think  you  were  in  condition 
to  do  business;  and  if  it  were  known  that  I  drew 
the  check,  people  would  think  I  had  been  swindling 
you.  It  was  partly  for  your  sake  and  partly  for  my 
own  that  I  destroyed  it." 

"In  my  note  to  you  the  next  day,  I  wrote  that 
the  check  would  be  paid." 

"I  had  already  destroyed  it  then." 

There  was  another  long  pause  in  the  conversation, 
though  two  or  three  times  the  colonel  began  to 
speak,  and  then  checked  himself.  It  was  plain  to 
me  that  he  was  struggling  to  utter  something  at 
which  his  pride  revolted,  and  though  I  was  very 
curious  to  know  what  was  coming,  I  deemed  it  pru- 
dent to  keep  still. 


218  BEAKE    UP,    OE 

"  Wolf,  I  have  been  terribly  humiliated,"  said  he, 
with  a  desperate  effort.  "I  have  suffered  intolerably 
since  that  affair  at  the  Springs.  That  one  of  my 
employes,  a  mere  boy,  should  tell  me  I  was  drunk, — 
drunk ;  that's  the  word,  —  has  made  me  miserable." 

"  I  am  sorry  —  " 

"  Don't  apologize,  Wolf,"  he  interposed.  "  It  is 
not  so  much  that  you  said  it,  as  because  it  was  true." 

He  uttered  the  words  with  a  long  and  heavy  sigh ; 
and  really  he  was  so  sad  that  I  could  not  help  pity- 
ing him. 

"  I  am  sorry  it  was  true  ;   but  —  " 

"  Hear  me,  Wolf.  You  have  said  to  me  what  no 
other  living  being  -ever  said  to  me,  or  would  have 
dared  to  say." 

"  I  hope  you  wTill  excuse  me,  sir.  It  was  very  bold 
in  me  to  say  it,  even  if  it  was  true." 

"Wolf,  I  haven't  drank  a  drop  since  that  night. 
I  never  will  drink  another  drop,"  he  continued,  taking 
no  notice  of  my  apologies  and  explanations.  "  To 
put  it  in  the  power  of  any  one  to  look  down  upon 
me  is  too  humiliating.  I  have  done  it  oncev  I  never 
will  do  it  again." 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  219 

How  far  his  conscience  reproached  him  I  had  no 
means  of  knowing,  for  he  attributed  his  suffering 
wholly  to  mortified  pride.  He  was  silent  again,  and 
I  thought  it  would  be  impudence  in  me  to  commend 
his  good  resolution ;  but  certainly  nothing  ever  af- 
forded me  more  pleasure,  for  I  knew  that  his  nativ 
ral  firmness,  amounting  to  obstinacy,  would  keep 
him  true  to  his  pledge. 


220  BRAKE    UP,   OR 


CHAPTER  XX. 

A   NIG'ftT    TRIP   TO   HITACA. 

IT  seemed  to  me  that  pride  had  had  a  terrible  fall 
in  the  person  of  Colonel  Wimpleton,  though  in 
the  better  sense  it  was  pride's  conquest  over  the  low 
and  degrading. 

"  I  will  not  sign  any  paper,  Wolf;  but  I  mean  what 
I  say,"  said  he,  apparently  feeling  better  for  the  con- 
fession he  had  made. 

"I  know  you  do,  sir." 

"  I  am  aware,  now,  that  three  times  on  that  day  I 
was  saved  from  injury  or  death  by  others.  First  my 
horse  ran  away  with  me." 

"  Your  horse  ?  " 

"  You  shall  know  all,  Wolf.  I  had  drank  so  much 
in  Ruoara,  that  I  dropped  the  reins  in  driving  home. 
In  trying  to  recover  them,  I  frightened  the  horse, 
and  he  ran  with   me.    Nick   stopped   him.    Then  I 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  221 

came  very  near  being  run  over  by  the  train,  and 
drowned  in  the  lake.  It  was  all  because  I  had  been 
drinking  too  much.    It  was  time  for  me  to  brake  up." 

That  was  the  very  expression  my  father  had  used 
in  regard  to  him.  It  is  not  every  drunkard  who  has 
the  power  to  "brake  up"  when  he  realizes  the  peril 
of  his  condition.  The  colonel's  revelation  had  given 
me  a  new  light.  He  had  seen  Nick  that  forenoon. 
I  asked  him  about  it,  and  he  acknowledged  that  the 
snake  had  informed  him  in  regard  to  the  "  courting " 
at  the  Horse  Shoe.  I  could  not  then  understand 
Nick's  motive  for  doing  so,  but  I  have  since  learned  it. 

"Do  you  know  why  I  discharged  you,  Wolf?" 
asked  the  colonel. 

"I  supposed  it  was  because  you  did  not  want  one 
in  your  employ  who  had  seen  you  —  as  you  were 
that  day." 

"  Partly  for  that,  but  more  because  you  were  work- 
ing against  me." 

"Against  you,  sir?" 

"  Nick  told  me  you  sent  him  to  the  Horse  Shoe  to 
warn  the  party  of  my  approach." 

"  I  did  not  wish  to  have  Wadclie  and  Miss  Minnie 
see  you  as  you  were  then." 


222  BEAKE   UP,   OB 

"You  were  right.  Wolf;  and  I  thank  you  for 
saving  them  that  pain  and  shame,"  he  added,  warmly. 
"  I  had  no  idea  of  saying  as  much  to  you  as  I  have ; 
and  I  should  not  if  Nick's  rascality  had  not  come  to 
light.     I  gave  that  villain  five  hundred  dollars." 

"  What  for  ?  "  I  inquired,  astonished  at  the  acknowl- 
edgment. 

"  For  stopping  my  horse,  for  saving  my  life  in  the 
boat,  and  for  —  for  keeping  my  secret" 

"What  secret?" 

"That  my  horse  ran  away  with  me." 

"He  ought  to  have  been  satisfied  with  that,  with- 
out trying  to  steal  any  more,"  I  added,  more  disgusted 
than  ever  with  the  conduct  of  Nick. 

The  snake  must  have  put  in  at  Green  Cove  on  his 
return  from  the  Horse  Shoe,  and  had  stopped  the 
colonel's  horse  in  the  road  near  it.  Here  he  had 
told  the  great  man  the  mischief  that  was  in  store  for 
his  daughter.  I  could  not  fathom  the  motive  of  Nick 
in  this  mean  act.  But  really  I  did  not  trouble  my- 
self much  about  him.  I  was  more  interested  in  the 
colonel  himself.  I  was  amazed  at  the  freedom  with 
which  he  talked  to  me.     It  had  evidently  caused  him 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  223 

a  severe  mental  struggle  to  open  the  subject ;  but, 
after  he  had  broken  the  way,  it  seemed  to  afford  him 
great  relief.  He  owned  that  he  had  suffered  intense- 
ly since  his  late  debauch,  and  I  concluded  that  his 
confession  even  to  me,  with  its  accompanying  resolu- 
tion, eased  his  mind. 

Probably  the  effects  of  his  intemperance  wore  heav- 
ily upon  him  physically,  and  the  sudden  change  in 
his  habits  tended  to  produce  depression.  I  had  heard 
my  father  say  that  what  is  called  an  appetite  for  in- 
toxicating drinks  has  no  relation  whatever  to  the 
taste ;  but  when  a  person  accustomed  to  drink  liquor, 
moderately  or  otherwise,  discontinues  its  use,  he  suf- 
fers from  a  kind  of  aching  void  in  his  physical  frame, 
which  nothing  but  the  fiery  fluid  can  supply.  The 
stimulus  of  life  seems  wanting,  and  the  spirits  are 
fearfully  depressed.  This  was  doubtless  the  condition 
of  Colonel  Wimpleton.  Certainly  it  was  something 
extraordinary  which  had  produced  this  change  of  his 
very  nature. 

He  told  mo  my  words,  declaring  that  he  was 
drunk,  had  been  ringing  in  his  ears  ever  since  they 
were  uttered.     He  was  not  aware   at  the  time  how 


224  BEAKE   UP,   OE 

intoxicated  he  was.  It  was  when  he  came  to  think 
of  it  in  his  sober  moments,  and  in  the  solitude  of  his 
chamber,  that  he  realized  his  situation.  He  felt  that 
he  deserved  the  pity  of  his  friends  and  the  contempt 
of  his  enemies.  He  shuddered  when  he  thought  of 
the  future,  with  the  habit  steadily  increasing  upon 
him.  Even  his  social  position  and  great  wealth  could 
not  save  him  and  his  family  from  the  shame  and 
disgrace  which  cling  to  the  sot.  His  pride,  rather 
than  his  principle,  saved  him. 

"Wolf,  do  you  think  people  generally  knew  that 
I  drank  too  much  ? "  he  inquired. 

"I  am  sorry  to  say  they  did.  It  was  common 
talk,"  I  replied,  candidly. 

"I  never  suspected  that  any  one  knew  it." 

"  On  the  very  clay  that  Kick  stopped  your  horse, 
he  said  to  me  that  you  were  on  a  regular  bat." 

"A  what?" 

"A  regular  bat;  another  would  have  said  a  spree." 

"  Is  it  possible  I  have  sunk  so  low ! "  exclaimed 
he,  with  something  like  a  groan.  "  I  alone  have  been 
blind." 

"  I  heard  another  say  if  you  did  not  brake  up,  you 
would  go  to  ruin." 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  225 

"I  did  brake  up  on  the  day  after  we  went  to  the 
Springs.  I  feel  better  to-night  than  I  have  since  we 
parted  after  our  return." 

"  Will  you  tell  me,  sir,  why  you  gave  me  that 
check  ?  "  I  ventured  to  ask. 

"  Because  I  felt  that  I  was  in  your  power.  You 
told  me  I  was  drunk,  and  money  makes  friends." 

"  Did  you  intend  to  discharge  me  then  ? " 

"  No ;  though  I  did  not  like  the  idea  of  having 
one  in  my  employ  who  could  talk  to  me  in  that  way. 
I  did  not  decide  to  dismiss  you  till  the  next  morning, 
after  Nick  had  told  me  you  were  working  against  me. 
I  took  this  as  an  excuse  rather  than  a  provocation. 
You  may  resume  your  position  as  captain  of  the 
steamer  to-morrow." 

"  I  am  very  grateful  to  you,  sir ;  but  I  do  not  like 
to  displace  Van  Wolter,  after  he  has  been  appointed." 

"But  he  is  not  fit  for  the  place." 

"  As  fit  as  any  man  on  the  lake.  You  cannot  find 
a  pilot  who  would  take  the  Ucayga  through  the 
Horse  Shoe  Channel." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right ;   but  we  will  talk  of  that 
another  time,"  replied  the  colonel. 
15 


226  BRAKE    UP,   OR 

He  was  silent  and  thoughtful  again.  I  permitted 
him  to  choose  his  own  topic;  but,  as  one  good  reso- 
lution begets  another,  I  hoped  soon  to  find  him  in  a 
frame  of  mind  which  would  allow  me  to  introduce  a 
matter  which  was  still  near  my  heart.  The  magnate 
did  not  speak  again  for  half  an  hour.  We  were  off 
Port  Gunga,  and  I  heard  a  clock  on  shore  strike 
twelve.  I  suggested  to  the  colonel  that  he  could 
sleep  very  comfortably  in  the  cabin  of  the  Belle. 

"  I  do  not  care  to  sleep,  Wolf,"  he  replied,  still 
clinging  to  his  meditations. 

I  did  not  venture  to  disturb  him,  and  we  were 
within  five  miles  of  Hitaca  when  he  spoke  again.  I 
was  fearful  that  he  regretted  having  said  so  much, 
and  was  compensating  for  his  freedom  by  his  long- 
continued  silence.  My  fear  was  groundless,  for  wh*en 
he  spoke  again  I  realized  that  his  thought  had  been 
progress. 

"  Wolf! "  said  he,  and  paused. 

«  Sir." 

"I  was  never  so  astonished  in  my  life  as  when  I 
learned  that  Toppleton  had  sent  his  steamer  to  the 
relief  of  the  Ucayga,"  he  added. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  227 

"  It  was  only  an  act  of  courtesy,"  I  replied,  my 
heart  beating  with  emotion  ;  for  this  was  the  topic 
upon  which  I  wished  to  talk  with  him. 

"  Such  acts  of  courtesy  have  not  passed  much  be- 
tween Toppleton  and  myself  of  late  years.  Then  he 
even  had  the  audacity  to  send  me  a  message  of  con- 
gratulation on  the  safety  of  the  boat," 

"I  have  no  doubt  he  was  sincere." 

Another  long  pause. 

"  Twenty  years  ago,  Toppleton  was  a  good  fellow, 
and  we  were  the  best  of  friends,"  he  continued. 

"He  has  done  a  great  deal  for  me;  and,  though 
he  was  sometimes  unjust,  I  always  felt  very  grateful 
to   him." 

"I  suppose  I  have  been  very  unjust  to  you  some- 
times, too." 

"  I  never  had  any  claims  upon  you  or  Major  Top- 
pleton, and  perhaps  I  am  not  as  competent  to  judge 
as  a  disinterested  person  would  be." 

"Toppleton  has  offered  you  a  good  place  on  the 
railroad." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  a  very  good  place,"  I  answered,  warmly. 

"  Would  you  rather  be  in  his  employ  than  mine  ?  " 


228  BEAKE   TJP,   OE 

"No,  sir." 

"  If  you  would,  I  ought  not  to  object." 

"  I  would  rather  be  in  the  employ  of  both  of  you" 
I  suggested. 

"  That  cannot  very  well  be ." 

"I  think  it  can,  sir." 

"How?" 

"Major  Toppleton  offers  to  appoint  me  agent  for 
the  Lake  Shore  Railroad.  If  you  will  also  appoint 
me  agent  of  the  steamboat,  I  shall  be  in  the  employ 
of  both." 

"  Agent  for  two  rival  lines  ! "  exclaimed  he.  "  That 
is  absurd." 

"  Of  course  I  mean  that  the  two  lines  shall  be 
united." 

"You  are  at  your  old  trick,  Wolf,"  replied  the 
colonel;   but  there  was  no  bitterness  in  his  tones. 

"I  honestly  think  it  would  be  best  for  both  lines, 
and  best  for  the  travelling  public." 

"But  I  don't  want  Toppleton  to  think  I  am  ready 
to  go  down  on  my  knees  to  him,"  said  the  colonel, 
with  a  little  of  his  old  spite. 

"Why,  sir,   Major  Toppleton   has,  by   his   act   of 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  229 

courtesy  yesterday,  opened  the  way  for  you  to  do  a 
similar  one.  He  has  met  you  more  than  half  way 
without  a  word  from  you." 

"  I  suppose  I  can  be  as  courteous  as  he  can.  If 
one  of  his  boats  gets  into  trouble,  mine  shall  help 
her  out ;  but  I  am  not  to  be  the  first  one  to  propose 
a  union  of  the  two  lines." 

"  But  he  has  already  proposed  it." 

"  I  will  think  of  it,  Wolf;  but  I  do  think  we  are 
in  a  better  condition  to  connect  than  ever  before." 

Not  daring  to  push  the  matter  too  fast,  I  said 
no  more.  At  about  two  in  the  morning  the  Belle 
reached  the  wharf  at  Hitaca.  We  went  to  the  hotel 
where  the  colonel  usually  staid,  and,  calling  up  the 
landlord,  took  rooms  and  retired. 

I  was  so  weary  that  it  was  after  eight  when  I 
waked.  I  went  down,  and  I  found  the  colonel  had 
not  yet  appeared.  I  called  him,  and  after  breakfast 
we  visited  all  the  hotels,  but  obtained  no  tidings  of 
Nick  Van  Wolter.  I  had  intended  to  get  up  soon 
enough  to  go  on  board  the  Ucayga  before  she  started, 
but  I  had  overslept  myself,  and  she  had  been  gone 
an  hour  and  a  half  when  I  got  out  of  bed.    I  blamed 


230  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

myself  for  my  neglect ;  but  it  could  not  be  helped. 
However,  there  was  no  doubt  that  Nick  had  come 
up  in  the  steamer,  and  was  somewhere  in  Hitaca. 
We  could  only  lie  in  wait  for  him  at  the  railroad 
station. 

The  railway  from  Hitaca  has  to  overcome  a  very 
steep  grade,  and  to  do  this  the  train  "beats"  up 
the  hills,  first  running  ahead,  then  switching  off  and 
backing  a  considerable  distance,  and  then  going 
ahead  again  on  its  course,  thus  saving  the  grade  in 
turning.  It  occurred  to  me  that  Nick  might  go  out 
to  one  of  these  switches,  and  enter  the  cars  when 
they  stopped.  Colonel  Wirnpleton  was  to  take  the 
train  at  the  station  in  town,  while  I  went  out  in  a 
wagon  to  the  switches.  I  left  my  team  at  the  far- 
ther one,  and  walked  back  to  the  first  on  the  track. 
My  calculation  was  correct.  Nick  had  evidently 
heard  of  us  in  Hitaca,  and  expected  to  dodge  us  in 
this  way.  I  confronted  him  in  the  steep  road  near 
the  first  switch,  as  the  train  was  seen  in  the  distance. 

Nick  had  a  travelling  bag  in  one  hand,  with  a 
breech-loading  rifle  over  his  shoulder.  He  turned 
pale  when  I  stepped   into   his   path.     I  told  him   he 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKEKS.  231 

must  go  back  to  Hitaca  with  me.  Then  he  showed 
fight ;  and,  not  liking  the  looks  of  his  rifle,  I  sprang 
upon  him,  for  I  was  in  earnest.  He  struggled  des- 
perately to  escape  me,  and  we  had  a  hard  tussle; 
but  I  finally  wrenched  the  weapon  from  him,  and 
threw  him  on  the  ground.  Seizing  him  by  the  col- 
lar, I  held  him  down  till  the  train  had  passed. 


232  BRAKE    UP,    OR 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

WHAT    HAPPENED    IN    THE    ROAD. 

AS  soon  as  the  train  had  passed,  and  Nick's 
chance  to  escape  had  eluded  him,  I  released 
my  grasp,  and  permitted  him  to  rise. 

"What  do  you  mean  by  pitching  into  me  in  that 
way?"  demanded  Nick,  puffing  with  the  violence  of 
his  struggles. 

"  I  have  business  with  you,"  I  replied,  as  much  out 
of  wind  as  he  was. 

I  stood  in  the  road,  by  the  side  of  his  travelling 
bag,  resting  upon  the  rifle.  I  had  arranged  with 
Colonel  Wimpleton  to  get  out  at  the  second  switch, 
and  drive  back  the  horse  he  would  find  near  it,  if 
I  did  not  join  him.  He  was  to  understand  by  this 
that  I  had  captured  the  fugitive. 

"What  do  you  want  of  me?"  asked  Nick,  when 
he  had  recovered  his  breath  a  little. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKEES.  233 

"You  know  very  well  what  I  want." 

"No,  I  don't." 

"You   do." 

"How  should  I  know?" 

"Your   conscience,  if  nothing   else,  will  tell  you." 

"It   don't.     I'm   going   to   California." 

"Not  just  yet,  Nick.  You  will  give  up  some  of 
the  money  you  have  upon  you  before  you  go  to  Cal- 
ifornia, or  anywhere  else." 

"What  money?"  said  he,  snappishly;  but  I  saw 
that  his  lip   quivered. 

"Ten  thousand  dollars  that  you  stole  from  me," 
I  replied,  impatiently. 

"I  never  knew  you  had   so  much   money." 

"You  stole  a  check  in  my  favor,  for  that  sum,  at 
the  hotel  in   Grass   Springs." 

"I  didn't  take   any  check." 

"It's  no  use  to  lie  about  it,  Nick.  The  whole 
thing  has  come  out.  If  you  want  to  spend  the  next 
twenty  years  of  your  lite  in  the  state  prison,  deny 
it.  Colonel  Wimpleton  will  be  here  in  a  few  mo- 
ments," I  added,  as  I  heard  the  rattle  of  the  wagon. 

"  Colonel  Wimpleton ! "  exclaimed  Nick. 


234  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"Here  he  comes,"  I  continued,  as  the  wagon  be- 
gan to  descend  the  hill.  "  If  you  try  to  get  away 
from  me,  I  may  find  it  necessary  to  break  your 
head." 

"You  have  him,"  said  the  colonel,  as  he  stopped 
the  horse,  and  got  out  of  the  wagon. 

I  picked  up  Nick's  travelling  bag,  for  I  suspected 
that  the  money,  or  some  part  of  it,   was  in  it. 

"Nick,  we  can  make  short  work  of  this  business," 
said  the  colonel,  confronting  my  prisoner.  "We  haven't 
brought  any  officers  with  us,  but  we  can  obtain 
them  when  needed." 

"What  do  you  want  of  me,  Colonel  Wimpleton?" 
asked  Nick.  "  You  gave  me  five  hundred  dollars  for 
what  I  did  for  you,  and  I'm  going  to  California,  to 
see  if  I  can't  do  something." 

"You  may  go  to  California,  but  you  must  give 
up   the  ten  thousand   dollars  you   stole  first." 

"I  haven't   any  ten  thousand  dollars." 

"Yes,  you  have;  you  stole  my  check  for  that 
amount.     It's  useless  for   you  to  deny  it." 

"I  didn't  expect  this  of  you,  Colonel  Wimple- 
ton," added  Nick,  trying  to  assume  an  air  of  injured 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  235 

innocence,  in  which,  however,  he  was  not  successful, 
for  he  hardly  understood  the  phases  of  that  quality. 

"Instead  of  sending  an  officer  after  you,  Nick,  I 
have  come  myself.  You  must  acknowledge  that  this 
was  considerate." 

"I  saved   your  life,   Colonel  Wimpleton." 

"If  you  did,  that  is  no  reason  why  you  should 
steal  ten  thousand   dollars  from  me." 

"  Wolf  says  I  took  it  from  him." 

"We  will  not  quibble;  it  will  come  out  of  me 
in   the  end." 

"If  I  have  to  go  back  to  Centreport,  I  think 
there  will  be  some  talk  about  you,  Colonel  Wim- 
pleton." 

"  If  you  go  back,  it  will  only  be  on  your  way  to  the 
penitentiary.     Will  you  give  up  the  money,  or  not?" 

"What!  the  five  hundred  you  gave  me  for  pull- 
ing you  out  of  the  lake?"   exclaimed  Nick. 

"No;  the  ten  thousand  you  stole." 

"I  haven't  it." 

I  grasped  Nick  by  the  collar,  for  I  thought,  from 
a  movement  he  made,  that  he  intended  to  run  for 
the  woods. 


236  BRAKE    UP,    OK 

"We  need  not  parley  with  him,"  I  added.  "We 
had  better  search  him  at  once." 

"Let  me  alone,  Wolf!"  cried  Nick,  beginning  to 
struggle. 

Colonel  Wimpleton  came  to  my  assistance,  though 
I  did  not  need  his  help ;  for  I  was  abundantly  able  to 
manage  Nick,  and  we  held  him  fast.  He  made  an 
effort  to  release  himself;  but  finding  it  fruitless,  he 
began  to  be  more  reasonable. 

"If  you  will  produce  the  money,  all  right;  if  you 
won't,  I  shall  search  you,"  said  the  colonel. 

"You  have  no  right  to  do  that,"  blubbered  Nick, 
who  was  now  able  fully  to  comprehend  the  situation. 

"I  shall  take  the  responsibility,"  added  the  colonel. 
"Let  me  tell  you  in  the  beginning,  Nick,  that  I  do 
not  intend  to  prosecute  you  unless  you  compel  me 
to  do  so.  You  must  give  up  the  money  you  obtained 
by  fraud." 

"I  will,  if  you  won't  send  me  to  jail,"  replied  Nick. 

"I  will  not  send  you  to  jail.  I  have  not  forgotten 
what   you  did  for  me  a  few  days  ago." 

"I  haven't  the  money  with  me.  I  will  send  it  to 
you  to-morrow,  if  you  will  let  me  go." 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  237 

"I  will  not  let  you  go.  Were  you  going  to  Cal- 
ifornia without  your  money?     Where  is  it?" 

"In  my  bag." 

"  Open  your  bag,"  said  the  colonel. 

Finding  that  his  only  hope  of  escaping  the  penal- 
ty of  his  crime  was  by  giving  up  the  money,  he 
obeyed.  Opening  his  bag,  he  took  from  a  roll  of 
clothing  a  little  package,  carefully  wrapped  up  in 
brown  paper,  and  gave  it  to  Colonel  Wimpleton. 
The  latter  opened  the  parcel,  and  found  that  it  really 
contained  the  bank  notes,  which  he  hastily  counted. 

"The  money  is  all  here,  Wolf,"  said  the  colonel. 
"You  may  let  him  go  now." 

I  released  him;  but  he  was  not  disposed  to  go. 

"  Are  you  really  going  to  California,  Nick  ? "  I 
asked  of  him. 

"I  was  going  there;  but  I  haven't  money  enough 
now  to  pay  my  fare  out  and  back,  if  I  don't  find  any- 
thing to  do,"  he  replied,  doggedly ;  and  jt  was  ixlain 
that  he  was  more  disappointed  than  burdened  with 
guilt  at  the  failure  of  his  plans. 
-"I  will  give  you  more,  Nick,"  said,  the  colonel; 
"for  I  think  my  life  is  worth  more  than  five  hundred 
dollars." 


238  BEAKE   UP,   OB 

"  I  shouldn't  have  used  this  check  if  you  had  done 
the  handsome  thing  by  me,"  added  Nick,  with  an  ef- 
frontery which  moved  me  to  indignation. 

"  I  will  give  you  fifteen  hundred  dollars  more,"  said 
the  colonel. 

"I  can  get  along  with  that,"  answered  ISTick. 

"But  I  want  to  ask  you  a  few  questions  first.  Why 
did  you  tell  me  that  Wolf  was  working  against  me  ?  " 

"Because  he  was.  He  knew  very  well  that  you 
Were  after  Waddie  and  the  rest  of  them,  and  he 
sent  me  over  to  the  Horse  Shoe  to  tell  them  to 
clear  out." 

"Why  did  you  tell  Colonel  Wimpleton  that  the 
party  were  together,  and  that  they  were  on  better 
terms  than  they  ought  to  be?"  I  inquired, 

"  That's  my  business ;  but,  as  I  shall  not  be  seen 
again  in  these  parts,  I  don't  mind  telling,"  said  he, 
with  a  coarse  grin.  "Miss  Minnie  was  rather  fond  of 
me,  and  —  " 

"  You  impudent  rascal ! "  exclaimed  the  colonel. 

"  O,  it  was  so !  She  told  me  so  herself.  I  was  a  lit- 
tle mad  because  Tommy"  Toppleton  was  likely  to  cut 
me  out." 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  239 

"  You  may  go  now.  I  don't  want  to  see  or  hear 
any  more  of  you,1'  replied  Colonel  Wimpleton,  dis- 
gusted  with  the   fellow's  conceit. 

"Where  can  I  go  now?  I  have  lost  the  train," 
added  Nick,  as  he  glanced  at  the  wagon. 

"Go  where  you  please;  but  don't  let  me  see  you 
in  these  parts  again,"  replied  the  great  man,  as  he 
stepped  into  the  vehicle. 

I  took  my  seat  at  his  side.  The  colonel  opened 
the  roll  of  bills  which  Nick  had  restored  to  him,  and 
gave  him  the  sum  he  had  promised.  I  could  not 
help  thinking  that  it  was  a  very  handsome  reward 
for  a  small  service.  When  this  business  was  done, 
I  took  the  reins,  and  drove  back  to  Hitaca.  We 
arrived  just  in  time  for  the  colonel  to  take  the  rail- 
road boat,  which  started  at  quarter  of  twelve.  After 
dinner,  I  obtained  some  provisions  for  the  Belle,  and 
sailed  for  home.  Unfortunately,  the  wind  was  light 
from  the  north,  where  it  had  been  on  my  voyage 
up  the  lake,  and  from  Port  Gunga  I  was  obliged 
to  beat  all  the  way  down.  It  was  nine  o'clock  when 
I  arrived  at  Middleport,  and  I  went  directly  home. 

"What's  going  on,  Wolf? "asked  my  father. 


240  BRAKE    UP,   OR 

"Colonel  Wimpleton  and  I  have  made  it  all  up," 
I  replied. 

"  I'm  so  glad ! "  exclaimed  my  mother. 

"  He  told  me  I  might  take  command  of  the  Ucayga 
again;  but  I  don't  think  I  shall.  How  did  Van 
Wolter  make  out  going  down  to-day?" 

"Lost  the  trains  this  morning;  for  he  would  not 
go  through  the  Horse  Shoe  Channel.  He  just  saved 
them  this  afternoon.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  grum- 
bling." 

"I  will  go  pilot  in  her  to-morrow,"  I  added. 

"Why  not   captain?" 

"I'm  really  sorry  for  Van  Wolter.  He  is  a  good, 
honest  man,  and  I  don't  like  to  displace  him.  I  hope 
a  new  arrangement  will  be  made  soon." 

My  father  was  curious  to  know  what  had  passed 
between  the  colonel  and  myself;  but  I  told  him  I 
was  not  at  liberty  to  inform  him,  and  he  was  rea- 
sonable enough  not  to  require  me  to  violate  the 
confidence  of  the  magnate.  I  told  him,  however, 
that  we  were  better  friends  than  ever  before,  and, 
what  I  regarded  as  the  best  news. of  all,  that  Colo- 
nel Wimpleton  had   stopped  drinking. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  241 

For  some  reason  or  other,  I  felt  happier  that  night 
than  for  years  before.  I  could  not  help  believing 
that  there  was  "a  good  time  coming."  Everything 
looked  more  hopeful  to  me  than  ever  before.  One 
thing  was  very  surprising  to  me.  In  the  long  talk 
I  had  had  with  Colonel  Wimpleton,  he  had  not  even 
alluded  to  the  matter  which  had  so  excited  his  in- 
dignation on  the  day  we  went  to  Grass  Springs. 
Not  a  word  had  he  said  about  Tommy  Toppleton 
and  Miss  Minnie,  or  about  Waddie  and  Grace.  I 
had  expected  him  to  speak  of  this  subject,  and  I 
feared  it;  for,  as  I  was  not  disposed  to  deceive 
him,  it  would  have  been  a  very  embarrassing  topic 
to  me.  I  was  almost  prepared  to  believe  that  he 
intended  to  let  the  young  people  follow  their  own 
inclinations,  if  they  had  any  inclinations  of  this 
kind. 

At  half  past  eight  the  next  morning  I  was  on 
the  wharf  when  the  Ucayga  arrived  from  up  the 
lake.  I  saw  John,  the  colonel's  ti'Rri,  hand  Yan 
Wolter  a  note,  as  I  went  on  board,  tie  opened  it, 
and  read  its  contents. 

"I'm  glad  to  see  you,  Wolf,"  saiJ"  he>  as  I  pre- 
16 


242  BRAKE    UP,    OK 

seated  myself.  "  I  am  ordered  to  report  to  you  as 
'captain  of  the  Ucayga  again,"  said  Van  Wolter. 

"I  have  not  received  my  appointment  as  captain," 
I  replied.  "  Of  course  I  cannot  take  the  command 
without  authority." 

"Here  it  is." 

"That  is  not  directed  to  me.  I  want  you  to  keep 
your  place,  Van  Wolter,  for  the  present.  I  will  be 
your  pilot  to-day ;  and,  when  I  have  seen  Colonel 
Wimpleton,  I  hope  it  will  be  all  right  with  both 
of  us." 

He  objected,  but  I  prevailed  upon  him  at  last  to 
pocket  the  note,  and  retain  his  position.  I  took  the 
Ucayga  through  the  Horse  Shoe  Channel  on  that 
trip,  and  she  was  on  time.  When  I  returned  at 
noon,  Colonel  Wimpleton  came  on  board,  and  gave 
me   a  very  pleasant   greeting. 

"What  does  Yan  Wolter  say  about  his  boy?"  he 
asked. 

"Not  a  word.  Of  course  he  does  not  know  any- 
thing about   the   affair  of  yesterday." 

"You  can  tell  him  that  Nick  has  gone  to  Cali- 
fornia, if  you  believe  he   has  gone  there." 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  243. 

"I  do  not  believe  it.  I  think  we  had  better  say 
nothing  about  him.  Probably  he  will  come  back 
when  he  has  spent  his  money." 

"Well,  what  does  Van  Wolter  say  about  losing 
his  place   as  captain?" 

"I  don't  think  he  has  lost  it  yet.  I  have  not 
been   appointed." 

"I  thought  you  would  consider  what  I  said  yes- 
terday as  an  appointment." 

"Not  exactly,  sir,"  I  replied.  "I  was  in  hopes 
that  you  would  make  me  the   agent  of  the  line." 

"I  have  thought  about  that  matter,  Wolf,"  he  re- 
plied, struggling  to  conceal  a  frown.  "We  will  con- 
sider it." 

We  took  seats  in  my  state-room  for  this  purpose. 


244  BEAKE   UP,   OR 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


SEVEN   PER   CENT.    BONDS. 


"  "VJIT^F,  *   haVe    decided    tnat   I   Wil1   taVe  DOtn~ 

Y  f  ing  to  do  with  the  consolidation  of  the  two 
lines"  said  Colonel  Wimpleton,  as  he  seated  him- 
self in   the  state-room. 

"  I  am  sorry  for  that,  sir,"  I  replied,  my  heart  sink- 
ing under  the  declaration,  for  I  had  permitted  my 
hopes  to  run  very  high. 

"I  cannot  do  anything  which  looks  like  receding 
from  my  position." 

"Though  I  am  greatly  disappointed,  sir,  of  course 
I  have  no  right   to  complain." 

"You  shall  have  no  reason  to  complain.  I  pur- 
pose to  leave  the  whole  matter  in  the  hands  of 
the  Steamboat  Company,"  he  added,  with  a  smile  on 
his  face  which  seemed  to  be  struggling  with  a  frown 
for  the  mastery  of  his  expression. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  245 

"To  the  students?"  I  inquired,  unable  to  believe 
that  I  heard  him  right;  for  leaving  the  matter  to 
the  Steamboat  Company  was  precisely  the  same  thing 
as  yielding  the  point. 

"Yes,  to  the  students,"  he  answered,  pursing  up 
his  lips,  as  though  he  were  afraid  I  should  see  that 
what  he  was  doing  afforded  him  pleasure. 

"Will  you  do  me  the  favor  to  withdraw  the  or- 
der you  sent  to  Captain  Van  Wolter  ?  "  I  asked,  de- 
lighted with  the  prospect,  and  almost  giddy  under 
the  sudden  change   of  the  colonel. 

"  Certainly  I  will,  if  you  desire  it.     Send  for  him." 

I  called  Van  Wolter  from  the  wheel-house,  and 
he  gave  up  the  note  he  had  received. 

"That  means  that  you  are  still  captain  of  the 
boat,"  said  the  colonel  to  Van  Wolter. 

"  I  was  quite  satisfied  to  give  up  the  place,  sir ; 
for  I  want  to  say  that  I  shall  never  dare  to  take 
the  boat  through  the  Horse  Shoe  Channel  again," 
replied  the  captain. 

"For  the  present  I  will  act  as  your  pilot,"  I  in- 
terposed. 

Van  Wolter  withdrew,  and  I  was  curious  to  know 


245  BRAKE    UP,   OR 

whether  the  colonel  intended  to  give  the  Steamboat 
Company  definite  instructions  in  regard  to  the  con- 
solidation of  the  two  lines,  or  leave  it  to  the  mem- 
bers. 

"Do  you  go  up  to  Hitaca  in  the  boat  to-night, 
Wolf?" 

"No,  sir.  I  shall  only  act  as  pilot  for  the  Horse 
Shoe  Channel  until  the  Steamboat  Company  makes 
its  arrangement." 

"  Then  I  wish  to  see  you  in  my  library  when  you 
return  from  Ucayga.  I  have  a  little  business  to 
transact   with  you." 

"I  will  be  there,  sir.  But  do  you  not  intend  to 
indicate  your  wishes  in  regard  to  the  union  or  con- 
solidation  of  the   two  lines?" 

"I  do  not,  though  I  would  like  to  hear  what  the 
arrangement  is  before  it  is  proposed  to  the  other  side." 

"  You  shall  be  informed,   sir." 

He  went  on  the  wharf,  and  I  saw  him  drive  off 
in  his  buggy.  I  was  never  so  happy  in  my  life. 
The  young  peacemakers  had  a  fine  prospect  of  suc- 
cess, and  I  was  very  impatient  to  see  Waddie,  and 
inform  him  of  what  had  taken  place. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  247 

"  What's  going  on,  Captain  Penniman  ? "  asked 
Yan  Wolter,  as  I  passed  him  on  my  way  to  the 
shore. 

"There  may  be  some  change  in  the  running  of 
the  boat,"  I  replied. 

"But  who  is  to  be  captain  of  the  Ucayga?" 

"I  don't  know  yet;  but,  as  you  have  been  faith- 
ful to  me,  I  do  not  intend  to  desert  you." 

"Thank  you,  Wolf.  You  are  a  Christian,"  added 
he,   with  a  grateful  smile. 

"I  will  go  down  the  lake  with  you  this  after- 
noon," I  continued,  as  I  stepped  upon   the   wharf. 

I  hastened  to  the  Institute,  and  considered  my- 
self justified  in  asking  to  see  Wad  die  before  the 
session  was  closed ;  and  we  took  a  seat  in  the  play- 
ground. 

"  What's  the  matter  now,  Wolf?  "  asked  my  friend, 
satisfied  from  my  coming  at  such  a  time  that  I  had 
something  important  to  communicate. 

"Nothing  is  the  matter." 

"You  went  up  to  Hitaca  with  my  father  night 
before  last." 

"  I    did ;    but   that    has    nothing    to    do    with    my 


248  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

present  business,"  I  replied,  evasively.  "Finding  your 
father  in  pretty  good  humor,  after  what  Major  Top- 
pleton  had  done,  I  opened  the  matter  of  uniting  the 
two  lines  again." 

"Good!"  exclaimed  Waddie.  "By  the  great  horn 
spoon,  I  wish  it  could  be  done." 

"It  can  be." 

"  You  don't  mean  so." 

"I  think  it  can;  though  your  father  will  not 
have   anything   to  do  with  it  himself." 

"How  can   it  be  done,  then?" 

"  He  says  he  will  leave  it  to  the  Steamboat  Com- 
pany,  and   they  may  do  as  they  think   best." 

"Then  it  is  done!"  shouted  Waddie,  jumping  up, 
and  capering  about  like  a  crazy  man. 

"  Call  a  meeting  at  once." 

"Til  do  it." 

"At  the  close  of  the  session  this  forenoon?" 

"Yes;  but  what   shall  we  do?" 

"  Simply  appoint  a  committee  of  three,  with  full 
powers  to  make  any  arrangement  they  think  proper." 

"  Will  you  attend  the  meeting,  Wolf? "  asked 
Waddie,  anxiously. 


rTHE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  249 

"No;  I  cannot.  I  have  to  pilot  the  boat  down 
to  Ucayga;  but  I  will  meet  the  committee,  at  half 
past  six,  wherever   you  say,"  I  replied. 

"All  right.     This  is  first  rate,  Wolf— isn't  it?" 

"  Yes,  it  is ;  ever  so  much  better  than  I  expected.. 
But  I  can  stay  no  longer,  for  I  have  only  time  to 
go  over  and  see  Tommy,  and  get  him  to  call  a 
meeting  of  the  Railroad   Company." 

"You  are  captain  of  the  steamer  again,  Wolf," 
said  Wad  die,  laughing. 

"No;  Yan  Wolter  was  displaced,  though  I  was 
not  appointed ;  but  your  father  has  recalled  the  or- 
der. I'm  ambitious,  Waddie,  and  I  am  looking  for 
a  better  place  than  that  of  captain." 

"What's  that?" 

"I  want  to  be  general  agent  of  the  two  lines 
when  they  are  united.  I  think  I  can  do  more  good 
in  that  capacity  than  in  any  other." 

"You  shall  have  the  place  if  you  want   it." 

"I  do,"  I  replied,   as  I  left  him. 

Crossing  the  lake,  I  found  Tommy  Toppleton  at 
his  studies.  I  stated  the  case  to  him,  and  he  prom- 
ised to  call  a  meeting  of  the  stockholders  if  his  father 


250  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

consented.  It  did  not  occur  to  me  that  Major  Top- 
pleton  would  offer  any  opposition  to  the  plan,  and 
I  returned  to  Centreport,  satisfied  that  my  hopes 
would  soon  be  realized.  After  making  the  trip  down 
the  lake,  I  called  upon  Colonel  Wimpleton,  as  I  had 
agreed  to  do. 

"Wei],  Wolf,  what  have  you  done  about  consoli- 
dation?" he  asked,  with  a  smile. 

"Both  companies  were  to  call  meetings,  and  by 
this  time  I  suppose  each  has  chosen  a  committee  of 
conference." 

"Very  well;  I  don't  intend  to  meddle  with  the 
matter.  I  wished  to  see  you  upon  other  business. 
Have  you  heard  anything  more  from  Nick  Yan 
Wolter?" 

"No,  sir;  not  a  word." 

"Doesn't  his  father  say  anything?" 

"Of  course  not.  Probably  he  thinks  his  son  is  in 
some  hotel  in   Hitaca." 

"But  he  would  be  likely  to  inquire  about  him,  then, 
for  he  spends  the  night  at  the  upper  end  of  the  lake.5 

"He  has  not  mentioned  him  to  me.  I  don't 
think  Nick  will  come  back  till  his  money  is  spent." 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  251 

"We  are  well  rid  of  him.  I  suppose,  Wolf,  that 
ten  thousand  dollars  in  cash  would  be  rather  em- 
barrassing to  you;  and  instead  of  it,  I  have  made 
up  the  amount  in  good  paying  bonds,  yielding  seven 
per  cent." 

"Bonds?"  I  inquired,  bewildered  by  his  speech. 

"  If  you  prefer  cash,  you  shall  have  it,"  added  he. 

"I  don't  prefer  either.  I  don't  understand  what 
you   mean." 

"Didn't  Nick  rob  you   of  your  check?" 

"I  didn't  regard  it  as  my  check.     I  burned  mine." 

"Come,  Wolf,  we  will  not  be  at  loggerheads  on 
this  matter.  When  I  gave  you  that  check  I  gave 
it  to  you;  and,  if  my  pride  would  permit  me  to 
withhold  the  gift  now,  my  sense  of  duty  would  not. 
You  must  take   either   the   money  or  the  bonds." 

"I  have  no  right  to  either,  sir,"  I  pleaded.  "I 
don't  know  but  so  much  money   would  spoil  me." 

"I  think  nothing  will  spoil  you,  Wolf."  . 

"I  will  not  deny  that  it  would  be  very  pleasant 
to  me  to  have  the  money;  but  the  manner  of  get- 
ting it  does  not  suit  me  so  well.  If  it  is  to  pur- 
chase my  silence  —  " 


252  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"Nonsense!"  interrupted  he,  impatiently.  "You 
have  put  more  than  double  this  amount  into  my 
pocket  by  your  management  of  the  steamer.  You 
have  saved  my  life,  and  saved  me  from  shame  and 
disgrace.  I  insist  that  you  take  it.  Shall  it  be  in 
cash  or  bonds?" 

"  In  bonds,  sir,"  I  replied,  yielding  the  point ;  and 
for  the  first  time  in  my  life  I  felt  that  I  was  a  rich 
man. 

He  handed  me  a  package  containing  the  securi- 
ties. 

"  I  am  all  the  richer,  Wolf,  for  giving   you  this." 

"I  don't  know,  sir,  but  that  it  will  bother  me  to 
conceal  from  my  father  and  mother  the  reason  for 
my  having  so  much  wealth." 

"Tell  your  father  and  mother  as  much  as  you 
please,  then;  but  don't  let  me  be  talked  about  in 
the  streets,  if  you  can  help  it." 

"  I  will  be  very  prudent,  sir,  and  my  father  will 
also." 

"When  does  the  committee  of  the  Steamboat 
Company  meet,  Wolf?" 

"At  half  past  six  this  afternoon." 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  253 

"Will  you  tell  Waddie  I  wish  to  see  him  before 
they  meet?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"I  do  not  intend  to  meddle  with  the  business, 
only  to  make  a  suggestion  to  him." 

I  left  him,  with  the  securities  in  my  pocket,  hardly 
able  to  believe  that  I  was  Wolf  Penniman.  When 
I  saw  Waddie,  I  sent  him  to  his  father;  but  he  ap- 
peared promptly  at  the  place  appointed  for  the 
meeting  of  the  Steamboat  committee.  The  members 
were  Waddie,  who  had  again  been  elected  president, 
Ben  Pinkerton,   and  Dick  Bayard. 

"  I  believe  the  world  is  coming  to  an  end,"  said 
Ben,  after  he  had  cordially  greeted  me. 

"No;  only  the  war  between  the  two  sides  of  the 
lake,"  I  replied. 

"  Well,  Wolf,  we  are  fully  authorized  to  act  for 
our  Company,"  interposed  Waddie,  who  was  impatient 
to  proceed  with  the  business.  "We  can  do  any- 
thing we  like  with  the  Company,  even  if  we  sink  it." 

"You  talk  about  consolidation  and  union,"  said 
Dick  Bayard.  "I  don't  think  these  words  mean  the 
same  thins" 


254  BRAKE   UP,   OR 

"I  know  they  don't"  I  replied. 

"Consolidation  means  union,  but  union  don't  mean 
consolidation,"  added  Ben  Pinkerton.  "By  the  former, 
the  two  Companies  would  be  fused  into  one;  by 
the  latter,  they  would  only  run  their  respective  lines 
in   connection   with  each   other." 

"I  suppose  we  are  to  determine  whether  we  unite 
•  or  consolidate,"  said  Waddie. 

"I  shall  be  satisfied  with  either,"  I  replied. 

The  committee  discussed  the  question  for  some 
time,  and  finally  agreed  to  make  a  proposition  to 
the  Railroad  Company,  first,  to  consolidate,  and  then, 
if  this  plan  failed,  to  unite.  All  the  terms  of  both 
plans  were  settled,  and  this  committee  were  prepared 
to  meet  the  other. 

"There  is  one  more  point,"  said  Ben  Pinkerton. 
"Whether  we  consolidate  or  unite,  it  is  necessary 
to  have  a  general  agent,  and  I  move  that  this  com- 
mittee, on  its  part,  appoint  Captain  Wolf  Penni- 
man." 

The  motion  was  carried,  after  it  had  been  sec- 
onded by  Dick  Bayard. 

"I  move  that  his  salary,  to  be  paid  by  the  consoli- 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  255 

dated  Company,  or  by  both  Companies,  in  the  ratios 
of  the  fares,  be  fifteen  hundred  dollars  a  year,"  added 
Dick. 

"I  beg  you  will  not  mention  this  subject  yet,"  I 
interposed.     "It  is  rather  premature." 

"Not  at  all,"  replied  Wacldie.  "This  must  be 
part   of  the   bargain." 

The  motion  was  instantly  carried;  and  I  learned 
that  this  was  the  matter  upon  which  the  colonel 
had  wished  to  see  his  son.  The  business  was  done, 
and  I  went  home.-  The  next  evening  the  two  com- 
mittees met  in  conference. 


256  BRAKE    UP,   OR 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE    COMMITTEE    OP    CONFERENCE. 

THE  committee  of  conference  met  at  the  rail- 
road station  in  Middleport,  and  I  was  invited  to 
be  present  on  the  interesting  occasion.  On  the  part 
of  the  Railroad  Company,  Tommy  Toppleton,  Ned 
Skotchley,  and  Bob  Briscoe  appeared.  Each  was 
ready  to  suggest  a  plan  for  a  union  of  the  two  lines. 
Major  Toppleton  had  assented  to  the  union;  but  he 
insisted  upon  knowing  the  terms  before  final  action 
was  taken. 

"I  have  a  plan  for  consolidating  the  two  Com- 
panies," said  Waddie. 

"  What,  making  one  Company  of  the  two  ? "  asked 
Tommy. 

"Yes." 

"I  don't  know  about  that,  I  don't  see  how  it 
can  be  done." 


THE    YOUXG    PEACEMAKERS.  257: 

"Very  easily,  I  think,"  answered  Waddie.  "The 
capital  stock  of  the  Railroad  Company  is  two  hundred 
thousand;  of  the  Steamboat  Company  one  hundred' 
thousand.  We  make  a  new  corporation,  with  a  capital 
of  three  hundred  thousand,  of  which  you  own  two> 
thirds,   and  we   one  third." 

"But  the  Steamboat  Company  has  not  a  hundred 
thousand  dollars'  worth  of  property,"  suggested  Tom- 
my.    "The  Ucayga  did  not  cost  that" 

"No,  she  did  not;  but  the  Company  have  really 
the  monopoly  of  the  through  travel,  and  the  line 
pays  a  dividend  of  twenty  per  cent,  on  a  hundred 
thousand  dollars.  Our  side  does  not  gain  anything 
by  consolidation.  The  people  of  Centreport  and 
Ruoara  will  not  be  so  well  accommodated  under 
the  new  arrangement  as  they  are  now,"  responded 
"Waddie. 

"But  you  will  have  your  share  of  the  railroad 
profits,"  suggested   Tommy. 

"What  were  your  dividends  last  year? "'asked  the 
President  of  the   Steamboat   Company,  with  a  smile. 

"  They  will  be  much  larger  under  the  new  arrange- 


17 


258  BEAKE    UP,   OE 

"And  those  of  the  steamer  will  be  much  smaller." 

"We  have  spent  fully  two  hundred  thousand  on 
the  railroad,"  added  Briscoe.  "We  have  just  laid 
down  new  rails,  and  built  a  bridge  over  the  river 
at  the  foot  of  the  lake." 

"And  we  have  two   steamers,"  added  Skotchley. 

"Let  the  steamers  be  sold,  if  they  are  not  want- 
ed," said  Ben   Pinkerton. 

"And  let  the  purchaser  set  up  an  opposition  line," 
replied  Tommy. 

"  But  Middleport  would  have  two  votes  in  a  stock- 
holders' meeting  to   one  from   Centreport." 

"No;  one  of  the  conditions  is,  that  the  stock 
may  be  equalized  by  the  payment  of  its  par  value, 
at  the  option  of  the  Steamboat  Company." 

Each  party  felt  it  necessary  to  be  very  sharp, 
and  every  point  and  proposition  was  disputed,  for 
the  holders  of  the  mortgage  bonds  of  each  com- 
pany—  Colonel  Wimpleton  and  Major  Toppleton  — 
were  to  revise  and  approve  their  action.  At  nine 
o'clock  in  the  evening  no  progress  had  been  made, 
and  I  was  satisfied  that  there  were  too  many  ob- 
stacles  in    the    way   of  consolidation.     I  thought    it 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  259 

very  doubtful  whether  the  colonel  would  allow  his 
property  in  the  steamer  to.  pass  into  the  control  of 
the  other  side.  I  suggested,  therefore,  that  the  other 
and  more  simple    method  be  considered. 

"Let  each  company  run  its  own  line  on  its  own 
hook,"  said  Waddie.  "We  will  convey  the  passen' 
gers  from  Hitaca  to  Middleport,  and  you  to  Ucayga. 
Each  party  is  to  have  the  exclusive  right  to  his 
own   share  of  the  line." 

"But  that  leaves  two  steamers  on  our  hands  for 
which  we  shall  then  have  no  use,"  objected  Tommy. 

"They  are  not  worth  much,"  laughed  Ben  Pink- 
erton. 

"  They  are  worth  too  much  to  be  permitted  to  rot 
at  the  wharf,"  answered  Tommy.  "  We  don't  want 
steamers  if   we   are   to  have  no  use  for  them." 

"That's  so,"  added  Briscoe.  "It  is  fair  for  the 
Steamboat  Company  to  buy  our  boats." 

"What  do   you  think,  Wolf?" 

"I  am  not  one  of  the  high  contracting  powers, 
and  perhaps  I  ought  not  to  say  anything,"  I  replied, 
lightly. 

"Don't  stand  on  any  ceremony,   Wolf." 


260  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"Well,  then,  I  think  Briscoe's  suggestion  is  a 
fair  one." 

"What  do  you  ask  for  them?"  inquired  Waddie. 

"They  ought  to  be  appraised  by  three  disinter- 
ested men,"  I  added.  "Both  parties  should  be  bound 
to   their  award." 

"I  think  we  ought  to  have  what  they  cost,"  said 
Tommy.  "We  paid  the  par  value  of  the  shares  for 
the  stock  we  bought." 

"I  don't  think  so,"  interposed  Dick  Bayard,  catch- 
ing the  point.  "They  are  not  worth  so  much  now, 
when  there  is  no  use  for  them." 

This  point  was  discussed  at  considerable  length ; 
but  my  proposition   was  finally  adopted. 

"  Now,  how  shall  the  lares  be  divided  ? "  said 
Tommy. 

"In  the  ratio  of  the  distance  which  each  line 
carries  the  passengers,"   replied  Pinkerton. 

"That's  not  fair,"  added  Briscoe.  "It  costs  more 
to  run  a  railroad  than  a  steamboat.  The  ratio  of 
the  time   ought   to  be  taken  into   the   account." 

"I  don't  see  it,"  interposed   Waddie. 

"If  we  shorten  the  time  half  or  three  quarters  of 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  261 

an  hour  by  uniting  the  two  lines,  the  Steamboat 
Company  has  the  benefit  of  it,  though  it  is  the 
railroad  that  does  it,"  argued  Briscoe.  "The  Ucayga's 
best  time  now  is  three  hours  and  a  half.  If  I  un- 
derstand Captain  Penniman,  under  the  new  arrange- 
ment the  time  is  to  be  three  hours  from  Hitaca  to 
Ucayga." 

"Exactly  so,"  I  answered. 

"Then  it  is  the  railroad  that  shortens  the  time, 
and  the  Steamboat  Company  has  the  benefit  of  it," 
continued  Briscoe,  triumphantly.  "I  move  you  the 
division  be  equal.  We  take  the  Steamboat  Com- 
pany's checks,  and  they  take  ours.  In  settlement 
each  party  shall  pay  the  other  one  dollar  to  redeem 
its  own  checks." 

The  committee  on  the  part  of  the  steamer  yield- 
ed this  point,  after  some  further  discussion. 

"Now  we  want  a  general  agent  for  both  lines,"  said 
Waddie. 

"  With  your  permission  I  will  retire  while  this 
subject  is  considered,"  I  interposed;  and,  without 
waiting  for  a  reply,  I  went  out  of  the  room. 

I  had  not  been   absent  five   minutes   before  I  was 


262  BRAKE    UP,   OR 

recalled,  and  informed  that  I  was  to  be  recommend- 
ed as  the  general  agent,  at  a  salary  of  fifteen  hun- 
dred a  year,  half  of  which  was  to  be  paid  by  each 
Company.  I  returned  my  thanks  for  the  honor  done 
me,  and  for  the  liberality  of  the  salary.  Many  other 
details  of  the  proposed  union  were  settled,  and  it 
was  eleven  o'clock  before  the  business  was  finished. 
I  went  with  Tommy  to  his  father's  house,  and  the 
major  carefully  read  the  agreement,  as  it  had  been 
drawn  up  by  the  secretary  of  the  railroad  committee. 
Somewhat  to  my  surprise,  he  took  a  pen  and  wrote 
his   approval  upon   it. 

"It's  a  fair  thing,"  said  he.  "You  have  done  the 
business  well,  Tommy.  I  am  afraid  Wimpleton  will 
not  agree  to  it." 

"  Why  not,  father  ? "  asked  Tommy,  anxiously. 

"Because  there  are  two  things  in  the  agreement 
which  may  not  seem  to  be  fair  on  the  face  of  the  in 
—  the  purchase  of  our  two  steamers,  and  the  equal 
division  of  the  fares;"  and  the  major  went  over 
about  the  same  arguments  that  had  been  used  in 
the  committee  of  conference. 

I  confess  that  I  went  to  bed  that  night  not  a  lit- 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  263 

tie  worried  at  the  fate  of  the  plan  on  the  other 
side  of  the  lake.  In  the  morning  I  went  over  to 
take  my  place  on  board  of  the  Ucayga.  I  found 
Waddle  there,   and   with  rather  a  long  face. 

"  What  does  your  father  say  ? "  I  asked,  though 
Waddie's  face  had  already  answered  the  question. 

"  lie  said  he  would  not  have  anything  to  do  with 
the    matter." 

"Will  he  indorse  the  agreement?" 

"He  will  give  his  formal  assent  to  everything  we 
have  done,  but  nothing  more." 

"That's  all  we   want." 

"Not  quite.  He  will  not  purchase  the  two  old 
steamers,"  added  Waddie.  "He  says  they  are  old 
tubs,  of  no  use  now,  and  he  is  not  disposed  to  take 
them  off  the  major's  hands.  Perhaps  you  can  move 
him,  Wolf.    Nobody  else  can." 

Waddie  was  despondent  He  had  objected  to 
purchasing  the  steamers,  and  had  only  yielded  after 
consulting  me.  I  was  confident  that  the  colonel 
could  be  brought  over. 

"  If  your  father  will  agree  to  all  the  rest,  Waddie, 
I  will  see  that  the  purchase  of  the  steamers  does 
not  break  up  the  arrangement,"  I  rerjlied. 


■264  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"What  can  you  do?" 

"  O,  I  will  buy  them  myself,  and  set  up  an  oppo- 
sition line,"  I  answered,  laughing. 

"You   are  the   general  agent,   Wolf." 

"I  can  resign." 

"But  you  would  not  do  that,  even  if  you  could 
buy  the  steamers." 

"Probably  not;  but  here  comes  your  father.  I 
will  talk  about  the  matter   with  him." 

Colonel  Wimpleton  came  on  board.  He  looked 
very  good-natured. 

"I  am  going  down  to  Ucayga,  Wolf." 

"I  am  glad  of  it,  for  I  wish  to  speak  with  you," 
I  replied. 

"Do  you  wish  to  convince  me  that  I  ought  to 
throw  half  our  business  into  the  hands  of  Topple- 
ton,  and  then  compensate  myself  for  the  loss  by 
buying  those  old  boats,  which  are  not  worth  five 
thousand  dollars  apiece,  though  they  cost  him  double 
that  sum  ?  " 

"I  don't  wish  to  convince  you  against  your  judg- 
ment, sir." 

"I  can't  buy   them.     If  the    Steamboat   Company 


THE    YOUXG    PEACEMAKERS.  265 

can  make  an  arrangement  to  run  in  connection  with 
the  railroad,  I  will  offer  no  objection ;  but  when  they 
ask  me  to  buy  two  old  tubs  —  that's  quite  another 
thing." 

"Do  you  think  the  two  boats  are  worth  ten  thou- 
sand dollars?"!  asked. 

"Just  about   that." 

"  Then  I  will  buy  them,  sir,"  I  replied,  as  modestly 
as  I  could  in  uttering  so  grand  a  proposition. 

"You,  Wolf!" 

"I  mean    so,  sir." 

"  What  for  ? "  he  asked,  opening  his  eyes  in  amaze- 
ment. 

"I  think  I  could  get  more  than  seven  per  cent, 
for  my  money  out   of  them." 

"If  you   can,  then  I  can." 

"I  might  set  up  an  opposition  line  with  them," 
I  replied,  laughing. 

"  An   opposition  line  ! " 

"  Or,  if  I  had  not  the  conscience  to  do  it  myself, 
some  one  else  might.  In  a  word,  sir,  if  you  are 
going  to  run  the  Ucayga  from  Hitaca  to  Middle- 
port,  you  ought  to  control  all  the  passenger  steam- 
ers on  the  lake." 


266  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"That's   true,  Wolf." 

"If  Major  Toppleton  keeps  those  boats,  he  has  a 
hold  upon  you  which  you  may  feel  when  any  mis- 
understanding  occurs." 

"Just  so." 

"Besides,  you  want  those  boats,  sir.  If  you  can 
buy  them  cheap,  it  will  pay  to  run  them  as  ferry 
boats — one  between  Centreport  and  Middleport,  and 
the   other  between   Ruoara  and    Spangleport." 

"Well,  Wolf,  I  don't  care  about  bothering  with 
referees.  You  may  offer  Toppleton  ten  thousand 
dollars  for  the  two,"  continued  the  colonel,  who,  I 
was  satisfied,  did  not  really  object  to  the  terms  of 
the  union,  but,  rather  from  the  force  of  habit  than 
for  any  other  reason,  deemed  it  necessary  to  offer 
some  resistance  to  his  old   enemy. 

I  had  not  expected  this  easy  victory  in  the  argu- 
ment, and  I  was  convinced  that  Colonel  Wimple- 
ton  was  an  altered  man.  I  doubt  whether  he  had 
seen  a  time  in  three  years  before  when  he  was  en- 
tirely free  from  liquor.  He  had  always  been  a  regu- 
lar drinker,  and  for  several  years  an  immoderate  one, 
I  was  forced  to  attribute  his  former  malignity  to 
the  rum  in  wThich  he  had  steeped  himself. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  267 

The  colonel  went  down  to  Ucayga  in  the  steamer, 
and  went  on  shore.  As  he  did  so  I  saw  the  land- 
lord of  the  hotel  at  Grass  Springs  step  up  to  him? 
and,  with  an  exceedingly  supercilious  air,  present 
him  a  paper.  I  was  interested  at  once,  and,  while 
the  boat  lay  at  the  wharf,  I  observed  them  very 
closely.  The  colonel  appeared  to  be  considerably 
excited,  and  looked  at  the  paper  the  landlord  had 
given  him  with  great  apparent  interest.  As  the 
bell  rang  for  the  steamer  to  start,  he  came  on  board, 
followed  by  his  companion. 


'26S  BRAKE   UP,    OR 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE    MAGNATES    JOIN    HANDS. 

"UST  as  the  deck  hands  were  hauling  in  the 
plank,  Major  Toppleton  rushed  down  and  leaped 
on  deck.  Probably  he  was  not  aware  of  the  fact 
that  Colonel  Wimpleton  was  on  board,  or  he  would 
not  have  incurred  the  liability  of  seeing  him.  I  con- 
cluded that  he  was  nervous  about  the  arrangements 
for  the  union  of  the  two  lines,  and  wished  to  see 
me  in  relation  to  them. 

I  had  nothing  to  do  till  the  steamer  reached  the 
North  Shoe,  and  I  sat  down  near  the  door  of  my 
state-room.  Presently  Colonel  "Wimpleton  appeared 
on  the  hurricane  deck,  closely  followed  by  the  land- 
lord   of  the   hotel. 

"Wolf,  this  little  bill  has  just  been  handed  to  me," 
said  the  magnate  of  Centreport,  giving  me  the  paper. 

"What   is  it,  sir?" 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  269 

"Read  it  for   yourself." 

"  Captain  Penniman  will  see  that  it  is  all  right," 
added  the  landlord,  whose  name  was  Sharp. 

I  glanced  at  the  bill.  It  was  so  absurd  that  I 
could  not  help  laughing.  The  charges  were  all  for 
damage  done  to  his  house  and  furniture  by  the  colo- 
nel, during  his  visit  to  the  hotel.  The  items  were 
as  follows:  — 

To  damage  done  to  bed  and  bedding,  $400 
"  spilling  ink,  and  spoiling  carpet,  .  300 
"  damage  to  bureau  and  chairs,  .  .  200 
"  keeping  still   about  it, 300 


$1200 

"What  do  you  mean  by  this,  Mr.  Sharp?"  I  in- 
quired. 

"I  mean  just  what  it  says  in  that  bill,"  he  replied, 
with  a  brazen   face. 

"  Do  you  expect  me  to  pay  that  bill  ? "  demanded 
the   colonel,  indignantly. 

"I  will  leave  that  to  you,  sir;  but  I  think  you  will 
pay  it,  as  much  for  your  own  sake  as  mine." 

"This  is  the  most  impudent  piece  of  extortion  I 
ever  saw  attempted,"  added  the  magnate. 


270  BEAKE    UP,   OK 

"Well,  sir,  if  people  will  dance  they  must  pay 
the  fiddler." 

"Why,  all  the  furniture  in  the  room  was  not 
worth  a  hundred  dollars,"  said  the  indignant  colonel. 

"  I  don't  want  to  say  much  about  the  matter,  Colo- 
nel Wimpleton.  If  you  are  not  willing  to  pay  the 
bill,  I  don't  care  about  arguing  the  matter.  If  you 
don't  pay  it  up,  it  won't  be  my  fault  if  people  don't 
know  what   took  place  in  that  room." 

The  great  man  turned  pale.  The  consequences 
of  his  debauch  followed  him  in  such  humiliating 
demands  as  this  bill. 

"Why  didn't  you  put  it  all  down  under  the  last 
item  of  '  keeping  still  about  it '  ? "  added  Colonel 
Wimpleton ;  but  he  was  alarmed  at  the  threat  of 
the  landlord,  and  his   speech  was  very  mild. 

"It  is  an  outrageous  imposition,"  I  ventured  to 
say,  when  I  found  it  quite    impossible   to  keep  still. 

"That  comes  very  well  from  you,  Captain  Penni- 
man,  after  you  have  had  your  nest  feathered,"  sneered 
Sharp. 

In  my  turn,  I  was  abashed  at  this  home  thrust, 
though  I  could  not  believe  that  it  was  anything 
more  than  a  supposition  on  his  part. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  271 

"  I  never  attempted  to  extort  money  from  any  per- 
son," I  replied.  "  I  was  with  Colonel  Wimpleton,  and 
I  say  this  bill  is  a  swindle.  I  hope  he  will  not  think 
of  such  a  thing  as  paying  even  a  penny  of  it." 

"  He  can  do  as  he  thinks  best,"  the  fellow  dog' 
gedly  replied. 

"There  isn't  a  shadow  of  justice  in  it,"  I  added,  as 
the  colonel  stepped  into  the  state-room,  and  seated 
himself  there,  evidently  to  prevent  any  one  from 
seeing  him. 

"  He  was  the  drunkest  man  that  ever  came  into 
my  house,"  continued  Sharp  ;  "  and,  if  he  wants  to 
keep  it  out  of  the  newspapers,  he  had  better  pay  up." 

"What's  the  matter,  Sharp?"  said  Major  Top- 
pleton,  approaching  the  spot  at  this  moment. 

"  Ah,  I  didn't  know  you  were  here,  sir !  "  exclaimed 
the  landlord,  with  a  start. 

The  major  stopped  before  he  came  in  front  of  the 
state-room  door,  and  he  did  not  see  that  his  old 
rival  was  within.  With  the  bill  in  my  hand,  —  for  I 
had  not  yet  given  it  back  to  the  colonel,  —  I  beckoned 
the  magnate  of  Middleport  away  from  the  dangerous 
locality. 


272  BRAKE   UP,    OR 

"What's  the  matter,  Wolf ? "  asked  he,  mystified 
by  my  movement. 

"  Colonel  Wimpleton  is  in  that  state-room,"  I  re- 
plied, when  we  had  walked  abaft  the  engine. 

"Whew!"  whistled  he.  "I  did  not  know  he  was 
on  board ;  but  I  wanted  to  see  you  about  this  union 
of  the  two  lines." 

"He  did  not  see  you,  sir;  and  Sharp  has  moved 
away  from  the  door,  so  he  will  not  tell  him  you  are 
here." 

"I  don't  care  about  meeting  him  just  now," 
laughed   the   major. 

"  I  thought  you  would  not,  and  so  I  beckoned  you 
away.    You  know  Sharp,  the  landlord  ? " 

I  knew  he  did,  for  I  was  aware  that  the  major 
owned  the  hotel  in  Grass  Springs,  and  had  set  Sharp 
up  in  his  business. 

"  I  know  he  is  not  the  man  I  took  him  to  be  when 
I  assisted  him  to  his  present  position,"  replied  the 
major.     "  He  seems  to  be  excited  about  something." 

"Read  this  bill,"  I  added,  handing  him  the  docu- 
ment. 

Major  Toppleton  opened  his  eyes  as  he  examined 
the  account. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKEES.  273 

"Is  this  a  joke?"  he  asked. 

"No,  sir;  Sharp  actually  demands  twelve  hundred' 
dollars  of  Colonel  Wimpleton.  The  last  item  is 
hush-money,  but  it  all  comes  under  that  head." 

"  The  miserable  scoundrel ! "  exclaimed  the  major, 
indignantly.     "  I  am  tempted  to  kick  him." 

"  He  says  the  colonel  was  the  drunkest  man  that 
ever  entered  his  house,  and,  if  he  does  not  pay  this 
swindle,  everybody  shall  know  it." 

"What  if  he  was  drunk?  The  man  that  sells 
him  the  liquor  is  not  the  one  to  condemn  and  expose 
him.  I  will  give  the  scoundrel  a  lesson  he  will  never 
forget.  Sharp!"  said  he,  as  the  landlord,  who  was 
pacing  the  deck  rather  nervously,  passed  within 
hailing  distance  of  him. 

"  At  your  service,  Major  Toppleton,"  replied  Sharp, 
in  cringing  tones. 

"  What  have  you  been  doing  ?  What  does  this 
bill  mean?" 

The  wretch  started  when  he  saw  the   account  in 

the    hands    of   his    powerful    patron.     Knowing  the 

enmity  which  had  so  long  existed  between  the  two 

sides  of  the   lake,   and   especially  between   the   two 

18 


274  BRAKE    UP,   OR 

great  men,  he  would  have  counted  upon  the  assist- 
ance rather  than  the  opposition  of  Major  Toppleton 
in  any  movement  against  his  rival. 

"  Colonel  Wimpleton  came  to  my  house  the  drunk- 
est man  I  ever  saw,"  replied  he. 

"  And  you  are  going  to  swindle  him  for  it ! " 
added  the  major,  severely.  "  Sharp,  your  lease  ex- 
pires in  July ;  it  will  not  be  renewed.  I  will  not 
tolerate  such  a  scoundrel." 

"If  you  don't  think  it  is  right  —  " 

"  Right !  you  villain  !  Is  it  ever  right  to  swin- 
dle a  man  ?  " 

"  But  it  was  Colonel  Wimpleton,  and  —  " 

"  ISTo  matter  who  it  was.  Colonel  Wimpleton  is  a 
gentleman,  and  if  he  were  a  hundred  times  my 
enemy,  I  would  stand  up  for  him  against  any  such 
miserable  trick  as  this." 

"I  won't  say  anything  more  about  it,  Major  Top- 
pleton," pleaded  Sharp. 

"But  I  will.  I  will  go  to  every  man  within  ten 
miles  of  Grass  Springs,  and  tell  him  you  are  a  liar, 
a  swindler,  and  a  scoundrel,"  continued  the  major, 
much  excited,  as  he  shook  his  fist  in  the  face  of  the 


THE   YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  275 

landlord.  "In  this  matter  Colonel  Wimpleton  is 
ray  best  friend." 

"Major  Toppleton!" 

To  my  surprise,  Colonel  Wimpleton  stepped  out 
from  behind  the  engine,  and  walking  square  up  to 
his  old  enemy,  extended  his  hand  to  him. 

"  I  was  not  aware  that  you  were  near,"  said  the 
major,  rather  startled. 

"I  offer  you  my  hand,  Major  Topple  ton,"  said  the 
colonel,  his  lip  quivering  with   emotion. 

"  I  accept  it,"   replied  the  magnate  of  Middleport. 

They  grasped  hands.  If  there  had  been  any  ar- 
tillery on  board  the  Ucayga,  I  should  have  fired  a 
hundred  guns  in  honor  of  this  auspicious  event.  As 
it  was,  I  called  Van  Wolter,  and  asked  him  to  dis- 
play every  piece  of  bunting  on  the  steamer.  I  was 
so  delighted  that  it  seemed  to  me  I  should  "  go  up." 
The  young  peacemakers  had  been  at  work  for  a  year 
to  bring  about  this  result;  but  both  of  the  great  men 
had  hung  back.  I  did  not  consider  that  the  recon- 
ciliation was  actually  made  on  the  deck  of  the  Ucay- 
ga. The  major  had  been  prepared  for  it  for  months, 
and  the  colonel  from  the  time  the  steamer  was  hauled 


276  BRAKE   TJP,   OR 

off  the  sands  by  the  Ruoara.  Neither  had  had  the 
courage  to  approach  the  other,  and  I  regarded  the 
coming  of  the  landlord  as  a  fortunate  event. 

Sharp  hung  his  head  with  shame,  as  he  saw  the 
magnates  join  hands.  He  had  brought  his  bill  to  a 
bad  market.  I  wondered  whether  Nick  Van  Wol- 
ter  had  not  put  him  up  to  this  trick.  The  fellow 
had  boldly  told  me  that  my  nest  had  been  feathered, 
and  no  one  but  Nick  had  known  about  the  check 
until  it  was  drawn. 

"Major  Toppleton,  probably  you  understand  this 
matter  now,"  said  the  colonel,  still  trembling  with 
emotion. 

"I  know  nothing  about  it,  except  that  this  scoun- 
drel was  trying  to  swindle  you.  I  have  already  told 
him  his  lease  would  not  be  renewed,"  replied  the 
major,  still  holding  the  hand  of  his  old  rival.  "What- 
ever differences  we  have  had,  I  know  you  to  be  a 
gentleman  and  a  man  of  honor;  and  I  would  protect 
even  an  enemy  from  such  a  swindle  as  this." 

"  I  trust  we  shall  no  longer  be  enemies,"  added 
Colonel  Wimpleton. 

"  Not  by  my  choice,  certainly,"  answered  the  major. 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  277 

"  Our  boys  and  girls  have  set  us  a  good  example. 
They  have  made  peace  among  themselves,  and  we 
ought  not  to  be  behind  them  in  this  matter." 

I  was  obliged  to  go  to  the  wheel,  as  the  steamer  was 
approaching  the  North  Shoe;  but  I  was  so  excited 
by  the  auspicious  event  which  had  just  transpired, 
that  I  was  afraid  I  should  run  the  boat  aground  my- 
self, as  Van  Wolter  had  clone.  But  I  had  hardly 
taken  my  place  at  the  wheel  before  both  the  major 
and  the  colonel  entered,  and  continued  their  conver- 
sation. The  unwonted  sight  of  the  two  great  men 
talking  together  on  friendly  terms  had  been  noticed 
by  the  passengers,  and  they  were  gathering  on  the 
hurricane  deck  to  witness  the  strange  exhibition. 
The  two  gentlemen  were  annoyed  by  the  interest 
manifested  in  their  affairs,  and  retreated  to  the  wheel- 
house  to  escape  observation. 

"I  must  beg  you  to  retire  to  the  captain's  state- 
room, gentlemen,"  I  interposed.  "I  am  so  interest- 
ed in  what  you  say,  that  I  am  afraid  I  shall  run  the 
steamer  aground  if  I  listen  to  it." 

I  pointed  to  the  door  which  opened  from  the 
wheel-house  into  the  state-room,  and  they  were  con- 
siderate enough  to  retire. 


278  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

"  The  world's  coming  to  an  end,"  said  Van  Wolter, 
standing  opposite  me  at  the  wheel. 

"On  the  contrary,  I  think  it  is  only  just  beginning 
to  exist,"  I  replied ;  and  it  did  seem  to  me  that  we 
were  all  about  to  enter  upon  a  new  life  —  a  life  of 
peace. 

"  They  have  really  made  up." 

"They  have  indeed.  I  wish  we  had  a  twenty-four 
pounder  on  board,"  I  continued.  "I  would  make  a 
noise  in  honor  of  the  event." 

"  I  have  put  out  all  the  bunting  we  have,  and  it 
makes  quite  a  show." 

"Everything  will  go  right  now,  and  the  union  will 
certainly  be  arranged,"  I  added. 

"What  union?"  asked  Van  Wolter,  who  had  had 
no  hint  of  the  negotiations  in  progress. 

"  The  union  of  the  two  lines.  In  a  short  time,  this 
boat  will  make  two  trips  a  day  from  Middleport  to 
Hitaca,  connecting  with  the  railroad." 

"You  don't  say  it!"  exclaimed  Van  Wolter. 

"  The  two  companies  split  on  only  one  point.  That 
will  be  arranged  now." 

"  I  suppose  one  of  the  captains  of  the  old  boats 
will  take  this  one,  then,"  added  he,  rather  gloomily. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  279 

"Not  at  all.  I  am  to  be  general  agent  for  both 
lines,  and  you  will  remain  in  command  of  this  boat." 

"Is  that  so?" 

"I  shall  insist  upon  this  arrangement.  I  never  go 
back  on  a  good  friend." 

"You  are  a  Christian,  Captain  Penniman." 

"I  try  to  be  one.  You  will  have  no  more  trouble 
about  the  Horse  Shoe  Channel.  You  must  make 
yourself  agreeable  to  your  passengers,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  you  will  be  as  popular  as  you  deserve  to  be." 

As  we  approached  the  bend  of  the  channel  the 
conversation  was  discontinued ;  but,  when  I  could 
leave  the  helm,  I  joined  the  magnates  in  the  state- 
room. 


280  BRAKE    UP,   OK 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

MOKE    SEVEN   PER   CENT.    BONDS. 

WHEN  I  entered  the  state-room  where  the 
magnates  were,  Colonel  Wimpleton  was  in- 
viting Major  Toppleton  to  dine  with  him  that  day. 
Men  are  apt  to  go  from  one  extreme  to  the  other, 
and,  from  the  exceeding  cordiality  of  the  reunion,  I 
was  afraid  they  might  overdo  the  matter.  Yet  they 
had  once  been  warm  personal  friends,  and  had  cho- 
sen this  locality  on  the  lake  in  order  to  be  near 
each  other.  Long  and  bitter  had  the  quarrel  been ; 
but  now,  by  the  influence  of  the  young  peacemakers, 
it  was  happily  ended. 

"  Wolf,  you  must  dine  with  us,"  said  Colonel  Wim- 
pleton, as  I  entered  the  state-room.  "  We  will  smoke 
the  pipe  of  peace  to-day." 

"I  thank  you;  I  never  smoke,  but  I  will  dine 
with  you,"  I  replied.     "At  what  hour?" 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  281 

"Three  o'clock." 

"  Then  I  shall  be  obliged  to  decline,  for  I  must 
pilot  the  boat  down  this  afternoon." 

« ^re  y/}}i  make  it  six  o'clock,  then.  Major  Top- 
pleton,  you  must  bring  all   your  family  with  you." 

"  They  will  all  be  very  happy  to  come,"  answered 
the  magnate  of  Middleport. 

Then  Grace  would  be  there,  which  offered  an 
additional  inducement  to  me.  I  concluded  that  the 
colonel  would  not  say  anything  more  about  "court- 
ing," though  I  happened  to  know  that  Tommy  and 
Miss  Minnie  had  met  two  or  three  times  since  the 
affair  off  the  Horse  Shoe. 

"You  will  excuse  me,  gentlemen,  for  speaking  of 
business  at  such  a  time  as  this ;  but  I  should  like  to 
know  if  you  have  agreed  upon  the  terms  of  the 
union  between  the  two  lines,"  I  continued. 

"  We  have  not  mentioned  the  subject,"  said  Major 
Toppleton.  "Whatever  Colonel  Wimpleton  agrees 
to,  I  shall  fully  indorse." 

"  I  am  authorized  to  make  you  an  offer  for  the 
two  steamers,  Major  Toppleton,"  I  added. 

"You  needn't   make   the   offer,    Wolf,"  interposed 


282  BRAKE    UP,    OK 

the  colonel.  "I  will  accept  the  terms  of  the  ar- 
rangement in  all  respects,  as  drawn  up  by  the  com- 
mittee of  conference." 

"  If  the  arrangement  is  not  entirely  satisfactory, 
I  will  modify  it  in  any  manner  my  friend  Colonel 
Wimpleton  may  suggest." 

"  Everything  is  entirely  satisfactory  to  me,"  per- 
sisted he  of  Centreport. 

"But  you  did  raise  an  objection,"  insisted  he  of 
Middleport. 

"  Colonel  Wimpleton  thought  it  was  not  worth 
while  to  bother  with  referees  to  fix  the  value  of  the 
two  steamers,"  I  interposed.  "  Of  course  nothing 
can  be  done  till  they  have  been  appraised." 

"  That's  an  excellent  suggestion  of  my  friend. 
What  was  the  offer,  Wolf?"  asked  the  major. 

"Don't  mention  it,  Wolf,"  said  the  colonel. 

"I  accept  it,  whatever  it  was,"  continued  the 
major. 

"We  had  not  met  when  I  authorized  Wolf  to 
make  the  offer.  I  am  ashamed  of  it  now,"  added 
the  colonel. 

"I  think  I  can   settle  this   matter,  gentlemen,  to 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  283 

the  satisfaction  of  both  of  you,"  I  ventured  to  say. 
"  You  shall  each  mark  the  price  on  a  piece  of  paper, 
and  the  sum  to  be  paid  shall  be  found  by  splitting 
the  difference  between  the  two." 

"  I  agree,"  said  Major  Toppleton,  promptly. 

"  So  do  I,"  as  promptly  replied  Colonel  Wimpleton. 

I  gave  each  of  them  a  piece  of  paper  and  a  pencil. 

"  I  shall  take  into  consideration  the  fact  that  the 
new  arrangement  renders  the  old  boats  of  less  value 
than  they  are  in  the  railroad  line,"  said  the  major, 
as  he  wrote  his  valuation  on  the  paper,  and  handed 
it  to  me. 

Colonel  Wimpleton  made  his  figures,  and  gave 
me  his  paper.  One  was  eight  thousand,  —  the  ma- 
jor's, —  the  other  twelve  thousand.  Half  the  differ- 
ence between  them,  added  to  the  smaller,  or  taken 
from  the  greater,  gave  the  agreed  price. 

"Just  the  amount  I  was  authorized  to  offer,"  said 
I,  exhibiting  the  two  papers. 

"  I  am  satisfied,"  replied  the  colonel. 

"So  am  I,"  added  the  major. 

u  The  question  is  settled,  then,"  I  continued. 

"  Wolf,  where  is  Sharp  ?  "  asked  the  major. 


284  BRAKE   UP,   OR 

"  Probably  he  went  on  shore  at  Ruoara,"  I  replied. 

"  I  will  clean  him  out  on  the  first  of  next  month." 

"  Not  on  my  account,"  interposed  the  colonel. 

"  I  will  not  permit  so  great  a  scoundrel  as  he  is  to 
occupy  a  house  of  mine,"  protested  the  major. 

"His  tongue  may  cause  me  some  annoyance,"  add- 
ed the  colonel,  fixing  his  gaze  upon  the  floor. 

"You  may  be  sure  that  he  will  never  utter  a 
word  to  your  disparagement." 

"I  am  aware  that  I  have  given  him  cause  to  — " 

"My  dear  colonel,  we  are  all  human,"  interrupted 
Major  Toppleton.  "But,  if  Sharp  says  a  word 
against  you,  I  shall  consider  it  as  said  against  myself. 
Give  yourself  no  uneasiness  about  it.  I  will  take 
care  of  him." 

"You  are  very  kind  and  considerate,  major.  I 
wish  to  tell  you  what  I  told  Wolf  the  other  night  — - 
that  I  have   determined   never  to  taste   intoxicatino- 

o 

drinks  in  any  form  again.  If  there  is  no  wine  on 
my  table  to-day,  —  and  there  will  not  be,  —  you 
will  understand  the  reason.  It  was  absolutely  neces- 
sary for  me  to  'brake  up.'" 

Major  Toppleton  politely  changed  the  topic,  which 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  285 

was  even  more  embarrassing  to  him  than  to  the 
colonel.  The  Ucayga  was  approaching  the  wharf 
at  Centreport,  and  the  two  gentlemen  came  out  of 
the  state-room. 

"  Why  do  you  show  so  much  bunting  to-day, 
Wolf?"  asked  Colonel  Wimpleton,  when,  for  the 
first  time,  he  discovered  the   display  of  flags. 

"  In  honor  of  the  great  event  of  the  day,"  I  replied. 

"  It  is  a  great  event  —  isn't  it  ?  "  he  added,  with 
a  smile. 

"The  greatest  thing  that  ever  happened,  sir!" 

The  boat  was  made  fast  to  the  wharf,  and,  as  the  ma- 
jor wished  to  return  home  at  once,  the  colonel  directed 
Captain  Van  Wolter  to  run  the  Ucayga  over  to  the 
Middleport  side,  and  went  over  himself.  For  my 
own  part,  I  went  on  shore,  for  I  was  in  a  hurry  to 
see  Waddie,  and  give  him  the  astounding  news.  I 
hastened  up  to  the  Institute,  and  called  him  out. 

"  What's  up,  Wolf? "  asked  he,  anxiously,  as  he 
met  me  in  the  principal's  office.  "I  hope  nothing 
has  gone  wrong  with  the  union." 

"No;  that's  all  settled  as  square  as  a. brick;  but 
the  biggest  thing  that  ever  occurred  on  the  Western 


286  BRAKE   UP,   OR 

Continent,  since  the  landing  of  Columbus,  took  place 
to-day,"  I  continued  in  high  excitement. 

"  What's  that,  Wolf?  " 

"  What  do  you  guess,  Waddie  ?  " 

"I  can't  guess.     Why  don't  you  tell  me?" 

"Your  father  and  Major  Toppleton  shook  hands 
to-day,  and  the  war  is  ended." 

"  No  !  You  don't  mean  so !  "  exclaimed  Waddie, 
his  eyes  opening  at  the  news. 

"It's  a  fact." 

"By  the  great  horn  spoon!" 

"  O,  it's  so !  Do  you  see  the  Ucayga  there,  making 
a  landing  at  Middleport?"  I  asked,  pointing  out  the 
window. 

"I  see  her." 

"  Your  father  sent  her  over  to  land  the  major,  and 
he  has  gone  with  him  himself." 

"It's  too  good  news  to  be  true." 

I  sat  down  and  told  him  all  about  it  —  how  they 
happened  to  be  on  board  of  the  Ucayga,  and  how 
Sharp  had  brought  about  the  reconciliation.  I  was 
careful,  however,  not  to  expose  the  colonel's  secret 
to  his  son,  and  there  was  something  wanting  to  com- 
plete the  narrative,  which  troubled  Waddie. 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  287 

"Wolf,  there  is  something  about  that  visit  to 
Grass  Springs  which  I  don't  understand,"  said  he. 
"  Tell  me  honestly ;  was  not  my  father  —  wasn't 
he  —  " 

Waddie  blushed,  and. hung  his  head. 

"I  know  what  you  mean,  Waddie,"  I  interposed. 
"It  is  all  right  now.  Your  father  has  not  drank  a 
drop  since,  and  he  never  will  again.  Everything 
has  turned  out  for  the  best,  and  we  won't  say  a  word 
about  what  is  past  and  gone.  Your  father  has  in- 
vited Major  Toppleton  and  all  his  family  to  dine 
with  him  at  six  o'clock  to-day." 

"  By  the  great  horn  spoon,  we  must  turn  out  the 
regiment  this  afternoon,  and  escort  the  major  up  to 
the  house,"  said  Waddie.  "  Where  is  Tommy  Top- 
pleton ?  " 

"At  home,  I  suppose." 

"I  must  see  him.  Our  battalion  shall  turn  out, 
at  any  rate.     We'll  have  a  time  over  this." 

Waddie  was  as  enthusiastic  as  I  supposed  he  would 
be.  I  left  him,  and  went  on  board  of  the  Ucayga  on 
her  arrival  from  the  other  side.  I  worked  for  an 
hour  on  the  programme  for  the  new  line,  which  had 


288  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

now  become  a  fixed  fact,  and  then  went  over  to  Mid- 
dleport  to  dinner.  My  father  was  at  home,  and  the 
good  news  had  preceded  me,  though  I  had  to  an- 
swer a  great  many  questions. 

"  When  does  the  new  arrangement  go  into  effect, 
Wolf?"  asked  my  father. 

"Next  Monday,  I  think,  if  we  can  get  the  bills 
out  in  season." 

"  The  Ucayga  will  not  go  down  the  lake  then." 
"No,  sir.     She  will  make  two  trips  each   way  be- 
tween Hitaca  and  Middleport." 

"We  shall  have  to  hurry  up,  I  suppose." 

"  No,  not   much.     The   boat  will  have  to  land  at 

Hitaca,  and  return  without  any  delay.     At  this  end 

of  the  route  she  will  wait  two  hours  between  trips." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  leave  me  in  Hitaca  over  night  ?  " 

"No,  sir;   Christy  will  run  the  boat  down  in  the 

morning,  and  return  in  her  at  night;  you  will  leave 

Middleport   at   eleven,  and  be    back   again  at  three. 

You  will  be  on  duty  from  ten  till  four." 

"  That  will  not  make  a  very  hard  day's  work," 
laughed  my  father.  "  What  are  you  going  to  do, 
Wolf?     Van  Wolter  is  to  command  the  boat." 


THE    YOUNG    PEACEMAKERS.  289 

"  I  am  to  go  and  come,  and  draw  my  salary  of  fif- 
teen hundred  a  year." 

"  Fifteen  hundred  !  "  exclaimed  my  father. 

"  Fifteen  hundred  dollars,  Wolf! "  repeated  my 
mother. 

"My  total  income  will  be  about  twenty-two  hun- 
dred dollars  a  year,"  I  added,  as  seriously  as  I  could 
speak. 

"  Where  is  the  rest  of  it  to  come  from  ? "  asked 
my  father. 

"From  the  income  of  my  property." 

"What  property?" 

"  I  declare  I  believe  I  have  forgotten  to  mention 
that  I  am  worth  ten  thousand  dollars,  besides  what 
I  have  saved  up  from  my  salary.  But  it  is  true.  I 
have  the  amount  in  bonds,  which  pay  seven  per  cent." 

"  You  don't  mean  so,  Wolf,"  said  my  father. 

"  I  would  show  them  to  you,  but  I  deposited  them 
in  the  vault  of  the  Centreport  bank  for  safe  keeping." 

"Where  did  you  get  so  much  money,  Wolf?" 

As  Colonel  Wimpleton  allowed  me  to  inform  my 
parents,  I  told  them  the  whole  story  about  the  check, 
and  our  trip  to  Hitaca. 
19 


290  BEAKE   UP,   OR 

"  Well,  WolfJ  you  are  a  richer  man  than  I  am ; 
but  I  suppose  you  will  help  me  out  when  I  am 
short." 

"  O,  certainly  !     Can  I  do  anything  for  you  now  ?  " 

"  No ;  I'm  doing  very  well  myself,  Wolf.  This 
place  is  paid  for,  and  I  have  something  laid  up  for 
a  rainy  clay." 

"There's  somebody  at  the  front  door,"  said  my 
mother,  as  the   door  bell  rang. 

To  my  surprise  Major  Toppleton  followed  my  sis- 
ter, who  had  opened  the  door,  into  the  kitchen, 
where  we  were  at  dinner. 

"Wolf,  here  is  a  package  for  you,"  said  the  mag- 
nate, dropping  it  on  the  table,  as  I  was  rising  to 
show  him  proper  respect. 

"What  is  it,  sir?"  I  inquired,  picking  up  the  par- 
cel, which  had  a  marvellous  resemblance  to  the  one 
the  other  magnate  had   presented  to  me. 

"It  contains  ten  thousand  dollars  in  seven  per 
cent,  bonds." 

"Really,  sir,  I  don't  —  " 

"Yes,  you  do,"  laughed  the  major.  "You  are  in 
a  hurry;  so   am  I,  and  we  will   make  a  short   story 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  291' 

of  it.  My  friend  Colonel  Wimpleton"  —  the  major's 
eyes  twinkled  —  "told  me  what  he  had  clone  for 
you  in  this  way.  My  conscience  would  not  let  me 
do  less  than  he  has  done.  I  am  determined  to  be 
even   with  him.     Good  morning,  Wolf  I" 

He  turned  on  his  heel,  and  fled  from  the  house 
as  though  an  enemy  were  after  him.  My  father 
laughed,  my  mother  cried,  and  I  endeavored  to  keep 
cool.  But  it  was  time  to  return  to  the  steamer, 
and  we  hastened  to  our  duties. 


292  BRAKE   UP,   OR 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

IN   HONOR   OF    THE    RECONCILIATION. 

THERE  was  evidently  a  conspiracy  to  make  a 
rich  man  of  me;  and,  if  there  had  been  any 
more  magnates  in  the  vicinity,  I  should  certainly 
have  expected  a  contribution  from  all  of  them.  Vast 
as  were  the  sums  bestowed  upon  me,  a  poor  boy, 
these  were  really  but  drops  in  the  bucket  to  the 
millionnaires  who  gave  them.  I  could  find  no  ex- 
cuse for  the  liberality  of  Major  Toppleton,  but  I 
concluded  not  to  quarrel  with  my  destiny.  The 
magnate  of  Middleport  was  certainly  in  condition 
to  do  business  when  he  made  the  gift,  and  I  was 
not  willing  to  hurt  his  feelings  by  declining  the 
princely  present. 

On  the  trip  down  to  Ucayga  I  completed  the 
programme  for  the  new  line.  The  trip  from  one 
end  of  the  lake  to  the  other  was  to  be  run  in  less 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  293 

than  three  hours,  with  time  enough  to  spare  to 
make  up  for  a  ten  minutes'  detention  in  both  steamer 
and  the  railroad.  The  Ucayga  was  to  leave  Hitaca 
at  seven  in  the  morning,  which  was  quite  a  reason- 
able hour.  Connecting  with  the  train  at  Middleport 
at  nine,  passengers  were  to  reach  Ucayga  in  ample 
time  for  the  trains.  On  the  return  of  the  cars  at 
eleven,  the  boat  was  to  leave  Middleport  for  Hit- 
aca, and  come  back  immediately,  leaving  Middle- 
port  for  the  last  trip  up  the  lake  at  five,  and  ar- 
riving at  seven.  The  ferries  were  to  convey  pas- 
sengers across  the  lake  from  Ruoara  and  Centreport. 
I  was  abundantly  pleased  with  the  programme,  and 
was  sure  it  would  give  satisfaction  to  all  parties. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  boat  at  Ucayga,  I  was 
rather  surprised  to  see  a  couple  of  brass  field-pieces 
on  the  wharf,  ready  to  be  rolled  on  board.  The 
appearance  of  Tommy  Toppleton  explained  the  mean- 
ing of  thern,  though  they  were  to  be  allowed  to 
speak  for  themselves  in  the  course  of  the  day.  Tom- 
my, who  was  in  full  uniform  as  the  colonel  of  the 
regiment,  came  up  to  me,  on  the  hurricane  deck. 
He  was   as  lively  and   cheerful   as  the   occasion   re- 


294  BRAKE   UP,    OR 

quired.  He  had  seen  Waddie,  and  the  regiment 
was  to  form  at  Centreport  in  season  for  the  festivi- 
ties. He  had  procured  the  services  of  a  detachment 
of  the  Ucayga  Artillery  to  fire  the  salutes,  which 
Waddie  had   suggested. 

"We  are  going  to  make  a  big  time  of  it,"  said 
Tommy,  with  enthusiasm.  "We  have  engaged  the 
band  here,  besides  the  one  that  belongs  to  the  regi- 
ment—  There  they  come.  Waddie  is  going  to  have 
a  grand  collation  in  the  grove  near  his  father's  house. 
If  we  don't  wake  things  up,  it  will  be  because  we 
haven't  spunk  enough  to  do  it." 

"It's  a  big  thing,  Tommy,"  I  mildly  suggested. 

"That's  so,  Wolf;  and  more  than  anybody  else, 
you  have  brought  it  about." 

"  Well,  we  have  all  been  peacemakers,"  I  modest- 
ly added. 

"  I  never  expected  to  see  the  day  when  my  father 
and  Colonel  Wimpleton  would  shake  hands  and  dine 
together.  We  will  let  off  a  hundred  guns  at  six 
o'clock,  when  the  two  families  sit  down  to  supper," 
added  Tommy.  "  By  the  way,  Wolf,  this  is  a  splendid 
thins:  for  me." 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  295 

"It  is  for   all   of  us." 

"Well,  I  mean  for  me  in  particular,"  replied  he, 
significantly. 

"Why?" 

"You  needn't  try  to  be  dull,  Wolf.  Wasn't  Colo- 
nel Wimpleton  after  me  with  a  sharp  stick  the  day 
we  went  down  to  Grass   Springs?" 

"  O,  you  mean  Miss  Minnie  ? " 

"To  be  sure  I  do  —  you  are  not  stupid.  I  think 
Minnie  is  the  prettiest  girl  in  the  state,  and  if  I 
ever  marry  anybody,  she  will  be  my  wife  —  that  is, 
if  she  consents;"  and  Tommy's  under  jaw  dropped 
a  little,  as  though  he  realized  that  he  had  been  talk- 
ing too  fast. 

I  told  him  I  would  guarantee  her  consent  for  one 
and  a  half  per  cent,  of  two  and  sixpence,  whereat 
his  face  livened  up  again.  I  asked  him  into  the  state- 
room to  examine  the  programme  of  the  new  line. 
He  indorsed  it  on  the  part  of  the  Railroad  Com- 
pany. 

As  the  boat  approached  Centreport  we  saw  that 
there  was  an  unusual  stir  on  the  wharf.  The  battal- 
ion from  Middleport  was  landing,  and  the  other  was 


296  BRAKE    UP,    OR 

drawn  up  on  the  shore.  Tommy  prinked  up  his 
uniform,  threw  back  his  shoulders,  and  looked  as 
soldierly  as  possible.  His  sorrel  pony  stood  waiting 
for  him,  and  Waddie  was  already  mounted.  As  soon 
as  the  steamer  touched  the  wharf  I  left  her,  and 
hastened  to  see  the  preparations  for  the  great  occa- 
sion. 

"  You  are  to  ride  in  the  barouche  with  the  Top- 
pletons,  Wolf,"  said  Waddie,  dashing  his  fiery  steed 
up  to  me  as  soon  as  I  appeared,  so  furious  that  I 
trembled  for  my  corns,  for  these  military  people  are 
always  very  impressive. 

"  Thank  you,  Waddie.  I  suppose  I  could  walk,  on  a 
pinch." 

"No  pinch  about  it;  you  must  be  escorted  up  to 
the  house  with  our  guests." 

"All  right;  I  surrender,"  I  replied;  when  a  toot 
from  a  trumpet  startled  his  horse,  and  again  imper- 
illed my  corns. 

Tom  Walton  was  sailing  the  Toppletons  over  in 
the  Belle,  which  had  nearly  reached  the  shore.  I 
was  not  posted  in  regard  to  the  order  of  exercises, 
and  I  watched   the   proceedings   with  interest.     The 


THE    YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  297 

regiment  was  drawn  up  in  line,  with  the  band  at 
the  head.  Colonel  Wimpleton's  barouche  was  at  the 
end  of  the  wharf,  ready  to  receive  the  honored 
guests.  The  field  officers  were  all  mounted,  and 
they  kept  flashing  up  and  down  the  line,  just  as 
though  something  would  burst  if  they  did  not  make 
haste,  and  look  especially  savage.  They  could  not 
have  been  more  impressive  if  they  had  been  en- 
gaged in  a  great  battle  upon  which  the  fate  of  the 
nation   depended. 

As  the  Belle  drew  near  the  landing  stairs,  I  has- 
tened to  greet  the  Toppletons.  I  had  never  seen 
Grace  look  prettier  or  more  interesting,  and  the 
smile  she  bestowed  upon  me  was  a  rapture  to  me. 
I  assisted  her  out  of  the  boat  and  up  the  steps  to 
the  carriage.  Mrs.  Toppleton  and  Grace  occupied 
the  back  seat,  while  the  major  and  myself  sat  on 
the  front  seat.  Adjutant  Briscoe  mounted  the  box, 
to  see  that  the  driver  complied  with  all  the  military 
forms. 

"Present  —  arms!"  shouted  Colonel  Tommy  Top- 
pleton, as  the  carriage  started. 

The  major  and  I  uncovered,  while  the  ladies  waved 


298  BRAKE   TTP,   OE 

their  handkerchiefs.  The  band  played  "Hail  to  the 
Chief,"  though  who  the  particular  chief  was  I  had 
no  means  of  knowing.  We  passed  the  line,  and  the 
adjutant  in  charge  of  our  party  directed  the  driver 
to  draw  up  at  the  side  of  the  road.  Half  the  regi- 
ment then  marched  by  us,  and  a  guard  of  honor, 
composed  of  twelve  sergeants,  was  stationed  on  each 
side  of  the  barouche.         ' 

"Forward  —  march!"  shouted  Colonel  Tommy 
Toppleton. 

"Drive  on,"  added  Briscoe;  and  the  procession 
moved   off. 

Somewhat  to  the  annoyance,  perhaps,  of  the  major 
and  his  lady,  the  line  of  march  was  through  the 
principal  streets  of  Centreport,  and  of  course  the 
sensation  was  tremendous.  But,  as  the  young  j^eace- 
makers  desired  to  make  this  display,  no  objection 
was  offered  by  the  guests,  and  in  the  carriage  we 
voted  that  we  were  first-class  lions.  The  procession 
entered  the  grounds  of  Colonel  Wimpleton,  and  when 
the  carriage  stopped  at  the  door  of  the  mansion,  the 
magnate  and  his  lady  appeared  to  welcome  their 
guests.     It  was  the  first  time   the  wives  of  the   two 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKERS.  299 

magnates  had  met  for  many  years ;  and,  as  they  had 
not  shared  in  the  enmity  of  their  husbands,  the  oc- 
casion was  a  joyful  one  to  them.  We  were  ushered 
into  the  drawing-room,  and  as  the  clock  struck  six, 
dinner  was  announced.  At  this  moment,  Colonel 
Tommy  Toppleton  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Waddie 
Wimpleton  entered  the  room. 

"  Bang !  bang ! "  spoke  the  guns  which  had  been 
stationed  in  the  grove,  with  a  concussion  that  shook 
the  windows  of  the  house,  and  was  rather  trying  to 
the  nerves  of  the  ladies. 

At  the  same  time  the  Ucayga  band  struck  up 
"Met  again,"  a  familiar  Sunday  school  air,  known  to 
everybody  in  that  vicinity.  Colonel  Wimpleton  gave 
his  arm  to  Mrs.  Toppleton,  and  Major  Toppleton  es- 
corted Mrs.  Wimpleton  to  the  dinner  table.  Tommy 
took  Miss  Minnie,  and  I  offered  my  arm  to  Miss 
Grace.  Waddie,  who  seemed  to  be  out  in  the  cold, 
conducted  one  of  his  younger  sisters,  while  the  cler- 
gyman who  had  been  invited  led  the  other.  When 
the  party  were  seated,  the  minister  said  grace,  in 
which  he  briefly  alluded  to  the  reconciliation,  while 
the  booming  guns  and  the  melodious  strains  still 
celebrated  the   happy  event. 


300  BEAKE    UP,    OE 

The  dinner  was  a  splendid  affair,  and,  for  one,  I 
did  full  justice  to  it,  for  I  have  a  weakness  for  good 
dinners,  especially  when  they  are  given  in  honor  of 
great  events.  The  conversation  soon  became  gen- 
eral, and  the  best  feeling  in  the  world  prevailed. 
We  talked  of  the  events  of  the  past,  as  well  as 
of  the  present,  and  the  reconciliation  was  perfect. 
I  need  not  attempt  to  tell  how  much  I  enjoyed  the 
society  of  Grace,  who  sat  at  my  side. 

After  dinner,  the  party  walked  out  into  the  grove, 
where  the  gallant  soldiers  of  the  regiment  were 
banqueting  in  honor  of  the  occasion.  Grace  leaned 
on  my  arm,  and  we  had  a  delightful  chat.  When 
she  called  me  Mr.  Wolf,  I  asked  her  to  omit  the 
"Mr.,"  which  she  was  kind  enough  to  do. 

"I  suppose  you  know,  Wolf,  that  you  have  done 
more  than  any  one  else  to  bring  about  this  happy 
event,"  said  she. 

"I  know  that  I  have  had  it  in  my  mind  for  sev- 
eral years.  Your  father  wanted  to  continue  the 
railroad  to  Hitaca,  or  build  a  new  steamer;  but  I 
always  advised  him  to  do  neither.  I  have  tried  to 
prevent  quarrels;  but,  Grace,  I  think  you  have  been 


THE    YOUXG    PEACEMAKERS.  301 

the  inspiration,  in  part  at  least,  of  my  conduct.  If 
you  only  approve  it,  I  am  happy." 

"  I  do  approve  it,  with  all  my  heart,"  she  replied, 
blushing. 

I  had  not  the  courage  to  utter  all  that  I  felt,  but 
I  was  sure  that  she  had  a  very  kind  regard  for  me. 

At  eight  o'clock  the  regiment  again  formed  in 
line,  and  we  were  escorted  down  to  the  wharf,  where 
we  embarked  in  the  Belle  for  Centreport.  Major 
Toppleton  had  invited  the  Wimpletons  to  dine  with 
him  the  next  day,  and  the  invitation  had  been  ac- 
cepted.    I  was   not  neglected. 

With  this  happy  occasion  my  story  ought  to  close. 
The  peace  which  was  made  that  day  was  a  lasting 
one,  though,  as  is  always  the  case  even  among  the 
dearest  friends,  it  was  sometimes  necessary  for  them 
to  "bear  and  forbear."  The  two  families  dined 
together,  the  next  day,  at  the  major's,  and  the  same 
programme  was  repeated,  even  to  the  parade  of  the 
regiment,  the  music,  and  the  guns,  that  the  Mid- 
dleporters  might  make  no  possible  mistake  in  regard 
to  the  reconciliation. 

Handbills,  announcing  the  new  arrangement  of  the. 


302  BBAKE   UP,   OE 

"  Union  Line,"  as  I  called  it,  were  immediately  issued, 
and  on  the  following  Monday  all  the  Wimpletons 
and  all  the  Toppletons  went  over  the  new  route. 
We  went  Through  by  Daylight;  the  Lightning  Ex- 
press was  On  Time,  and  we  did  not  find  it  necessary 
to  Switch  Off  or  Brake  Up,  in  the  moral  sense, 
though  both  were  done  on  the  Lake  Shore  Railroad. 
The  travelling  public  were  pleased  with  the  new  ar- 
rangement, and  even  those  who  had  to  cross  the 
lake  in  the  ferries  did  not  growl,  for  they  were 
amply  compensated  for  the  extra  trouble  by  the 
better  time. 

We  heard  nothing  more  of  !N"ick  Van  Wolter  for 
two  months,  though  he  turned  up  at  the  end  of 
that  time.  I  had  a  long  talk  with  his  father  about 
him,  and  he  acknowledged  to  me  that  the  young 
man's  mother  was  too  ambitious  in  regard  to  him. 
Certainly  her  husband  had  proved  to  her  that  a 
faithful  discharge  of  his  duty  in  his  own  humble 
sphere  was  the  safer  course. 

Colonel  Wimpleton  was  true  to  his  noble  resolution. 
He  drank  no  more;  and  the  change  in  his  morals 
was  as  great   as  in  his  manners.     While  his  nature 


THE   YOUNG   PEACEMAKEES.  303 

was  the  same,  it  was  not  depraved  by  intemperance, 
and  he  was  a  different  man,  though  he  was  not  al- 
ways gentle  and  courteous. 

When  you  find  yourself  indulging  as  he  did  in  a 
bad  habit,  when  you  find  your  course  of  life  is 
wrong  in  any  respect,  do  as  he  did  —  "  Brake  up." 


REV.    ELIJAH   KELLOGG'S 

ELM  ISLAND  STORIES. 

Six  vols.    16mo.    Illustrated.    Per  vol.,  $1.25. 

1.  Lion  Ben  of  Elm  Island. 

2.  Charlie  Bell. 

3.  The  Ark  of  Elm  Island. 

4.  The  Boy  Farmers  of  Elm 

Island. 

5.  The  Young  Shipbuilders  of 

Elm  Island. 

6.  The  Hards  crabble  of  Elm 

Island. 

"There  is  no  sentimentalism  in  this  series. 
It  is  all  downright  matter-of-fact  boy  life,  and 
of  course  they  are  deeply  interested  in  read- 
ing it.  The  history  of  pioneer  life  is  so 
attractive  that  one  involuntarily  wishes  to 
renew  those  early  struggles  with  adverse 
circumstances,  and  join  the  busy  actors  in 
their  successful  efforts  to  build  up  pleasant 
homes  on  our  sea-girt  islands." — Zioris 
Herald. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


Illustrated  Natural  History 

YOUNG  HUNTER'S  LIBRARY. 

By  Mbs.  R.  Lee.     Four  volumes.     Illustrated. 
Per  vol.,  $i.50. 

The  Australian  "Wanderers. 

The  Adventures  of  Captain  Spencer  and 
his  Horse  and  Dog  in  the  Wilds  of  Aus- 
tralia. 

The  African  Crusoes. 

The  Adventures  of  Carlos  and  Antonio 
in  the  Wilds  of  Africa. 

Anecdotes  of  Animals, 

With  their  Habits,  Instincts,  &c,  &c. 

Anecdotes  of  Birds,  Fishes,  Kep- 

tiles,  &c,  their  Habits  and  Instincts. 

This  is  a  very  popular  series,  prepared  for 
the  purpose  of  interesting  the  young  in  the 
study  of  natural  history.  The  exciting  ad- 
ventures of  celebrated  travellers,  anecdotes 
of  sagacity  in  birds,  beasts,  &c,  have  been 
interwoven  in  a  pleasant  manner.  This  se- 
ries is  not  only  very  interesting  but  is  deci- 
dedly profitable  reading. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


Wonderful  Stories. 

JUTLAND  SERIES. 

Four  vols.   Illustrated.    Set  in  a  neat  box,  or  sold 
separate.    Per  vol.,  $1.50. 

The  Sand  Hills  of  Jutland. 

By  Hans  Christian  Andersen.      s6mo. 
Illustrated. 

Yarns  of  an  Old  Mariner. 

By  Mrs.   Mary  Cowden  Clarke.     Illus- 
trated by  Cruikshank.   i6nm 


Schoolboy  Days. 

By  W.  H.  G.  Kingston, 
teen  illustrations. 


i6mo.     Six- 


Great  Men  and  Gallant  Deeds. 

By  J.  G.  Edgar.     i6mo.     Illustrated. 

Four  books  by  four  noted  authors  comprise 
this  series,  which  contains  Adventures  by  Sea 
and  Land,  Manly  Sports  of  England,  Boy 
Life  in  English  Schools,  Fairy  Tales  and 
Legends,  —  all  handsomely  illustrated. 


L 


jff         LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


The   Great   West. 

THE  FRONTIER  SERIES 

Five  vols.    Illustrated.    Per  vol.,  $1.25. 

Twelve  Nights   in   the   Hunters' 

Camp. 
A  Thousand  Miles'  "Walk  Across 

South  America. 

The  Cabin  on  the  Prairie. 

Planting  the  "Wilderness. 

The  Young  Pioneers. 

The  romance  surrounding  the  adventurous 
lives  of  Western  pioneers  and  immigrants 
has  suggested  nearly  as  many  stories  as  the 
chivalric  deeds  of  knight-errantry.  These 
tales  of  frontier  life  are,  however,  as  a  rule, 
characterized  by  such  wildness  of  fancy  and 
such  extravagancy  of  language  that  we  have 
often  wondered  why  another  Cervantes  did 
not  ridicule  our  border  romances  by  describ- 
ing a  second  Don  Quixote's  adventures  on 
the  prairies.  We  are  pleased  to  notice,  that 
in  the  new  series  of  Frontier  Tales,  by  Lee 
&  Shepard,  there  is  an  agreeable  absence  of 
sensational  writing,  of  that  maudlin  senti- 
mentality which  make  the  generality  of  such 
tales  nauseous."  —  Standard. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


MISS    LOUISE    M.    THURSTON'S 


I       M 


CHARLEY  ROBERTS  SERIES. 


To  be  completed  in  six  vols.     Illustrated. 
Per  volume,  $i. 

How  Charley-  Roberts  Be- 
came a  Man. 

How  Eva  Roberts  Grained 
Her  Edlacation. 

Charley    and    Eva's    Home 

in  the   West. 

{Others  in  Preparation.) 

In  presenting  the  above  new  series  the  publish- 
ers believe  that  they  are  adding  to  that  class  of 
juvenile  literature  whose  intrinsic  worth  is  recog- 
nized by  those  who  have  at  heart  the  good  of  the 
young. 

"They  are  pleasantly  written  books,  descriptive 
of  th«  struggles  and  difficulties  of  Charley  and 
Eva  in  attaining  to  manhood  and  womanhood, 
and  they  are  well  adapted  to  stimulate  a  noble 
ambition  in  the  hearts  of  young  persons." 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


---- wQXW 

MAY    MANNERING'S  & 

HELPING  HAND  SERIES. 


Six  volumes.     Illustrated.    Per  volume,  $u 
Climbing  the  Rope. 
Billy   GJ-rimes's   Eavorite. 

The  Cruise  of  the  IDasha- 

way. 

The    Little    Spaniard. 
Salt  Water  Dick. 
Little   Maid   of  Oxbow. 

"  '  May  Mannering '  is  the  nom  de  plume  of  an 
agreeable  writer  for  the  young  folks  who  possesses 
more  than  ordinary  ability,  and  has  a  thorough 
comprehension  of  the  way  to  interest  children."  — 
Philadelphia  Item. 

"  We  like  the  spirit  of  these  books  exceedingly, 
and  cordially  commend  it  to  the  notice  of  Sabbath 
School  Libraries."  —  Ladies'  Repository. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


"Uarieo  ana  atttadt&e." 

VACATION  STORY-BOOKS. 

Sxvols.     Illust.     Per  vol.,  80  eta. 

Worth  not  "Wealth. 

Country  Life. 

The  Charm. 

Karl  Keigler. 

"Walter  Seyton. 

Holidays  at  Chestnut  Hill. 

ROSY  DIAMOND  STORY-BOOKS. 

Six  volumes.     Illustrated.     Per  voL,  80  cts. 

The  Great  Hosy  Diamond. 
Daisy,  or  The  Fairy  Spectacles. 
Violet,  a  Fairy  Story. 
Minnie,  or  The  Little  "Woman. 
The  Angel  Childi  en. 
Little  Blossom's  Reward. 

Thee  are  delightful  works  for  children.  They 
are  all  very  popular,  and  have  had  a  wide  circula- 
tion. They  are  now  presented  in  a  new  dress. 
The  stories  are  all  amusing  and  instructive,  ex- 
hibiting human  nature  in  children,  and  teaching 

some  very  important  practical  lessons. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


"  .fascinating  anfc  .Enstructtije." 

THE  PROVERB  SERIES. 

Bv  Mrs.  M.  E.  Bradley  and  Miss 
Kate  J.  Neely. 

Six  vols.     Illust     Per  voL,  $1. 

Birds  of  a  Feather. 

Fine  Feathers  do  Not  make  Fine 
Birds. 

Handsome  is  that  Handsome  does. 

A  "Wrong  Confessed   is  half  B«- 
dressed. 

Actions  speak  louder  than  "Words. 

One  Good  Turn  deserves  another. 

"  Each  volume  19  complete  in  itself,  and  illus- 
trates, with  a  story  of  most  fascinating  and  in- 
structive interest,  the  proverb  taken  for  its  title. 
These  are  just  the  kind  of  books  that  we  like  to 
see  in  a  family  or  Sunday-school  library.  They 
will  be  read  by  persons  of  all  ages  with  deep 
interest,  and  afford  instructive  and  entertaining 
conversation  with  the  children."— S.  8.  Journal. 


LEE  &  SHEPARR  Publishers,  Boston. 


